Daisy Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
by midnightphoenix101
Summary: This is basically Harry Potter except he was a girl, James wasn't there that night so he raised Daisy Potter along with her older brother Blake Potter. Some sections are my own invention, and some take from J.K Rowling's original- mostly because I can't live with how cruel Harry Potter is at times Disclaimer: I don't own harry potter and maybe it should have a higher rating
1. The Durselys

**The Dursleys**

"36, but last year, last year I had 37." Daisy Potter was awoke with a start by the screams of her morbidly obese and even more morbidly spoiled cousin Dudley. Since the death of their mother when she was 4 Daisy's father James had established a tradition whereby they along with her older brother Blake would visit her mother's sister Petunia Dursley and her family for a few days once a year. However since Blake was now of age he didn't have to come, despite Daisy's protests James promised the only major bulk of time they would have to spend with the Dursely's was on Dudley's birthday which was today.

Daisy thought maybe she could avoid this by continuing to sleep but as she rolled over the door to the bedroom opened. "Surely I thought you're cousins outburst would've woken you up sleepy head, but if that didn't do the trick then it'll have to be the tickle monster." As James swiftly leapt onto the bed, intending to land on his daughter she rolled out of it, laughing at him. James Potter was 35, 6'1, muscular with messy black hair and hazel eyes, adorned by spectacles. Aside from the 17 year age gap Blake was the spitting image of their father. Propping his head up on one arm James stared down at his 10 year old daughter "As much as I would like to hole myself up in here, it means that we'll miss the zoo, and you know how obsessed I am with monkeys"

"Zoo" that one word brightened Daisy's day immediately.

"Yes, as part of Dudley's birthday present the five of us and some friend of Dudley's are going to the zoo" Daisy sunk back down into a moody slump "Hey, come on now, odds are they'll ditch us at the reptile house anyway. Unless we ditch them first and 'accidentally' trap Dudley in a snake enclosure."

…

"You do know I was kidding right" said James, trying and failing to suppress a grin. The day had started out nicely enough. On a sunny Saturday Daisy, James, Vernon, Petunia, Dudley and his friend Piers had had a fairly pleasant time wandering around the zoo. Although there had been segregation between the Potter's and Dursely's, Piers continued making comments to Daisy. James noted that he was always trying to impress the girl or make her laugh, clearly because he had something of a crush. James couldn't blame him. His very pretty emerald eyed, red haired daughter was the spitting image of her mother-who had been a stunning woman. James felt sure that when Daisy was grown the only distinguishing features between her and her mother would be the glasses Daisy wore (she had been afflicted with her father's eyesight) and the lightning bolt scar that marred her forehead. James liked not to dwell on that terrible night; that had left him a widower and single father to two children instead of three. Unbeknownst to her, it has also left his cherished daughter one of the most famous people in the wizarding world. He only had a month left until her 11th birthday when he would tell her the truth. How he wished he could stop time.

"Daddy, daddy" he was torn out of his thoughts and looked down to see Daisy tugging on his shirt "Yes babe"

"Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus are here" looking up James could see that there stood in front of him stood his two best friends. They had decided to come spend some time with their goddaughter at the zoo. "Prongs, I know these meerkats are adorable and all but they're hardly captivating enough to warrant you ignoring the two of us" commented a very amused Remus.

"I don't know Moony, they've got me and Miss Daisy pretty mesmerized" chimed Sirius as he and his goddaughter mimicked the motions of the animals. Remus sighed. James laughed. "Oi Prongs, where'd the land whales and horse face go," questioned Sirius. Daisy stared up at her godfather before laughing incredulously, if she didn't know who he was referring to it was cemented when James shoved Sirius and whispered, attempting to suppress a laugh himself, "I thought I told you not to call them that in front of Daisy". Sirius was about to fire back, when sensing an imminent amusing yet long winded argument on appropriate behaviour in the presence of children, Remus suggested they go to the reptile house.

The reptile house was cool and dark, with brightly lit windows lining the walls. Behind the glass, there was all manner of snakes and lizards crawling and slithering around. As the quartet entered the building they saw the robust figures of Vernon and Dudley Dursley, pressed up against the glass of some poor unsuspecting creature. After Vernon's futile attempts at invigorating the creature by rapping on the glass they left it in peace. As James, Sirius and Remus went to look at some lizard Daisy approached the glass.

This window contained what must be the largest snake in the place. This thick, man-crushing python could easily have ended the lives of great men in seconds and struck fear in the hearts of millions, but at the moment it was having a sleep. Daisy saw why Dudley had become disheartened with it-but Daisy wouldn't be surprised if the snake had itself died of boredom. The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Daisy's. It winked.

Daisy stared. Then she looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't; in fact James and Remus were busy teasing Sirius with some other snake. She looked back at the snake and winked, too. The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Daisy a look that said quite plainly: "I get that all the time."

"It must be really annoying." Daisy murmured sympathetically. The snake nodded vigorously.

"Where do you come from, anyway?" Daisy asked.

The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Daisy peered at it. 'Boa Constrictor, Brazil'. She was about to ask about Brazil when she saw that the sign further explained 'Bred in Captivity.' "I know what that's like" the snake jerked its head in a quizzical manner; Daisy scanned the room again then whispered "I'm a witch, but I grew up in the muggle world, but soon I'll be going to Hogwarts, that's a school for wizards." The snake's eyes seemed to brighten, as if it was smiling. Daisy was about to continue when "DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!" shouted Piers.

Dudley came waddling toward them as fast as he could. "Out of the way, you," he said, punching Daisy in the ribs. Caught by surprise, Daisy fell hard on the concrete floor. What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened. Whilst Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, Dudley had fallen in the enclosure causing Piers to leap back. Both were howling with horror.

Daisy sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished. The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. People throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits. As the snake slid swiftly past him, Daisy could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come... Thanksss, amigo." As if that wasn't enough, when Dudley went to get up…the glass of the enclosure had reappeared, trapping him inside.

Before Vernon or Petunia could do anything James, Sirius and Remus sprinted to Daisy's side and helped her to her feet. After Dudley had been released through the door of the enclosure, there was nothing but venomous stares from the Dursely's. Once they had arrived home James and Daisy packed up their belongings in the guest room, thanked the Dursely's for their hospitality and escaped through the front door. Instead of going home they decided to stay with Sirius in his London apartment and Daisy, James, Sirius and Remus spent the night howling with laughter as Daisy recounted what happened. Sirius couldn't help but comment that now they could term Dudley a land whale, as he had been exhibited in a zoo.


	2. Diagon Alley

**Diagon Alley **

Daisy sat up in her bed, the anxious feeling in her stomach kept her stimulated. Tomorrow it would be Daisy's 11th birthday. Like all children an impending birthday filled with presents was enough to cause sleep-halting excitement. But this birthday was different. She had received her letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and tomorrow she, James and Sirius would go to Diagon Alley to get her supplies. Remus wanted to come but tonight was full moon and he knew he would be too tired, but promised to join them for birthday dinner. As if all this wasn't mind blowing enough Daisy's father had promised he would reveal the reason he had concealed Daisy from the wizard world. Daisy had a vague idea that it had something to do with the night her mother and younger brother died. But Daisy couldn't think of a logical reason that this event would have any significance for complete strangers. As these things mulled over in the 10 year old girls mind she finally drifted off into a dream that was cut short by a bright green light and a woman screaming.

…...

'Here we are then' declared Sirius in his usual jovial manner, 'the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place.' Daisy was more than slightly underwhelmed. This hotel, renowned by witches and wizards and held in high regard by her father and Sirius was no more than a dingy, hole in the wall pub. Before Daisy could mention her suspicions, her father steered her inside. At least the dark and shabby interior complemented the exterior. Daisy couldn't convey how disappointed she was with the wizard world. This was not uplifted by the minimal patrons who emitted a low buzz of chatter. As the trio neared the bar the elderly bartender reached for a glass 'James, Sirius it's been too long."

"I'm afraid you'll still have to wait longer, Tom" retorted Sirius

"we're here for Hogwarts supplies" added James, not attempting to disguise the pride in his voice.

"Good Lord, is this-it really is" stammered Tom gazing at Daisy. The low buzz of chatter fell silent. "Bless my soul, Daisy Potter…what an honour" gushed the bartender as he rushed from the behind the bar and seized Daisy's hand, tears falling down his face. "Welcome back, Miss Potter, welcome back."

Surprisingly James and Sirius were at a loss for words "Call me Daisy" was all Daisy could come up with. The silence was replaced by a scraping of chairs and scuffling of feet as the patrons bee lined towards Daisy. She shook hands with them all one by one, some twice.

Most notably was a short man in a top hat "Delighted, Miss Daisy, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle."

"I've seen you before!" said Daisy, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off in his excitement. "You bowed to me once in a shop."

"She remembers!" cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. "Did you hear that? She remembers me!" After ten minutes James and Sirius managed to gently pry Daisy away from the patrons and through the bar into a small courtyard, bordered by a high brick wall. They still hadn't said anything to Daisy since entering the Leaky Cauldron but upon seeing the look of confusion on her face burst out laughing as James tapped the wall three times with his wand. The brick he had touched quivered - it wriggled - in the middle, a small hole appeared - it grew wider and wider - a second later they were facing an archway that led onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.

"Welcome," said James "to Diagon Alley." As the trio walked through the archway, James and Sirius beamed at Hayley. The initial disappointment completely forgotten there was an astounded look of sheer joy was plastered on her face. Daisy thought she would get dizzy from shaking her head around so much, she had never seen a place fuller of life. The windows of the stores were filled with cauldrons, owls, broomsticks barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon. But her father and godfather goaded her past all these "First things first babe" said Sirius "we need some gold." Tearing her eyes away from the cobbled street lined with these otherworldly delights Daisy saw a magnificent, snowy white building that towered over the rest. It was the wizard bank, Gringotts.

Daisy hurried behind her father through the bronze doors and standing beside them, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was –"Yeah, that's a goblin," said James quietly as they walked up the white stone steps toward him. The goblin was about a head shorter than Daisy. He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, Daisy noticed, very long fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside. "They look nice enough now" James continued in a hush tone "but cross them or their gold and it'll be the last thing you'll ever do." They entered a vast marble hall where about a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these.

The trio made for the counter and James addressed a free goblin "Morning, we're here to make a withdrawal from the Potter vault." Daisy fascinated by everything in sight couldn't help but notice that even some of the goblins were making eyes at her extremely handsome, effervescent godfather. Daisy was pulled out of her trance by the goblin yelling "Griphook" as he handed James back a key "Griphook will take you to your vault, and how about you Mr. Black, will you be making a withdrawal."

"No, not today," the trio followed Griphook, Daisy wondering how the goblin knew Sirius; she decided she would just leave it until tonight.

Griphook held the door open for them. Daisy, who had expected more marble, was surprised. They were in a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downward and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks toward them. They climbed in and were off.

At first they just hurtled through a maze of twisting passages. Daisy tried to remember, left, right, right, left, middle fork, right, left, but it was impossible. The rattling cart seemed to know its own way, because Griphook wasn't steering.

Daisy's eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but she kept them wide open. Once, she thought she saw a burst of fire at the end of a passage and twisted around to see if it was a dragon, but too late - - they plunged even deeper, passing an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor.

Daisy looked at her father, he seemed more invigorated then she had ever seen him. A broad smile was plastered on his face despite the speed with which the wind whipped through his air. He looked down at Daisy, put an arm round her and let out an earth shattering "Woo hooo." Sirius on the other hand had his eyes kept firmly shut and looked very green. Despite the fact that he was holding on to the cart for dear life Daisy took one of his hands to try and comfort him. For a split second a small smile crept over his face.

At last the cart stopped beside a small door in the passage wall, the group made their way out, with Sirius trembling slightly. Griphook unlocked the door. A lot of green smoke came billowing out, and as it cleared, Daisy gasped. Inside were mountains upon mountains of gold coins. Scattered amongst these were columns of silver and heaps of little bronze Knuts.

"This is the first and last secret I'm revealing to you until tonight, the Potter fortune," exclaimed James. A small fortune that belonged to Daisy and her father buried deep under London? Which could only be accessed by a cart that seemed to control itself as it sped down a track that would put most rollercoasters to shame? The wizard world was growing on Daisy more and more. Daisy and James piled some of it into a bag. "The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle. Right, that should be enough to get you through the year; we do need to save some."

They exited the room, Griphook locking the door behind them. As Daisy glanced back round for one last look she noticed Sirius leaning on the wall. But it wasn't the confident, laid back posture he normally obtained for this situation when chatting up a woman. He was on his side, and seemed to have placed most of his weight on the wall. He finally acknowledged the three waiting for him and meandered over to the cart and got back in, Daisy immediately offered her hand and whispered so James couldn't hear 'You can squeeze it as hard as you want.' Sirius looked at her and despite the green tinge in his face flashed her one of his gorgeous, heart stopping (on girls he hadn't helped raise) smiled and said genuinely "You are every bit as lovely and caring as you're mother." He took Daisy's hand and with those words he lifted her heart. Although Daisy couldn't really remember her mother, whenever anyone spoke of her it was of the highest love and regard. Being compared to her mother was an immeasurable honour for Daisy.

One wild cart ride later they stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts. Daisy didn't know where to run first now that she had a bag full of money. She didn't have to know how many Galleons there were to a pound to know that she was holding more money than she'd had in her whole life. Wandering down the street, completely mesmerised by the sights around her she walked into something. She looked forward into a brown shirt, looking up she saw the tallest man she'd ever seen looking down at her, beaming.

"Sirius, you a'right mate?" He asked.

"We've just been in Gringrotts." An immediate wave of understanding came over the large man's face. "Hagrid, how are you" asked James.

"Fine, fine thanks for asking. On very important Hogwarts business as a matter of fact, I'm about to head into Gringrotts myself." Noticing he'd said too much, Hagrid doubled back "And this Hogwarts business and Gringrotts; may or may not have something to do with each other. James and Sirius couldn't help but smirk. "But enough about that, this must be Daisy."

"Yes, yes" interjected James "Daisy this is Hagrid, Hagrid-Daisy"

"Pleasure to meet you sir" said Daisy offering her hand. Overwhelmed Hagrid took it "a sweetheart just like her mother." Tears begun to stream down his face "You must come and visit me for tea in my hut; it's on the school grounds. I have a few stories about your parents you'd love to hear."

"I'd love to" Daisy said, delighted at hearing tales from her parent's legendary Hogwarts days. A few more tears and with that Hagrid and his secret business were off.

…

The day of shopping continued and after a frightful encounter with a drawling, pale haired, pinch faced boy in Madam Malkin's; stocking up on school books from Flourish and Blotts where Remus worked part time; a pewter cauldron-not even Daisy pouting convince James to get a gold one amongst other potion supplies from the Apothecary it was time for Daisy's wand. Sirius excused himself, citing that he couldn't make Tom wait any longer, but a brief non-verbal exchange between James and Sirius led Daisy to believe he had ulterior motives. As Daisy pondered what activities her beloved godfather may be engaging in, she walked straight into a man-again. Flustered, Daisy begun to hastily issue her apologies and pick up his books, before looking up at him. He seemed to just be stood over her frozen. For the briefest moment when their eyes, emerald and black, locked, numerous emotions seemed to sweep over the man's face. Disgust, hatred, sadness, pity and was that joy? Daisy handed the books to the man and before she could open her mouth he just said "Forgive me Miss" and scampered down an adjoining alleyway, Knockturn Alley.

"Daddy, who was that man" asked Daisy?

"That baby was my arch-nemesis and your future potions master, Severus 'Snivellus' Snape." Daisy had only heard of this man when her dad, Sirius and Remus would recount tales from their Hogwarts days. Before she could question James further they had arrived outside Ollivander's wand shop, where Sirius was casually leaning against the window smoking a cigarette and holding a cage which contained the most beautiful white owl Daisy had ever seen. She tentatively approached Sirius and he looked at her with a smirk that drove every other girl on the planet mad. "Do you like her" he questioned. Daisy could do nothing but stammer her thanks and give Sirius a hug. "Padfoot, mate, she's magnificent" James commented

"Only the best for my goddaughter, Prongs. Speaking of which why don't I leave you Hedwig and my cigarette to finish while I go in with Daisy?" James gave Daisy a 'do you mind' look, and even though she had been looking forward to sharing the experience of choosing a wand with her father, she knew the promise of a chance to sit down and smoke was something he needed "Only if Sirius promises not to complain if we take a while." James smiled, Sirius pouted and in Sirius and Daisy went.

A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Sirius occupied. "Ah yes," said a soft voice. Daisy jumped, an old man was stood before her, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Daisy Potter; you are the spitting image of your mother. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work. Well, I say your mother favoured it - it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, or witch, of course." With his eyes transfixed on Daisy's scar "Well, now Miss Potter" He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"Er - well, I'm right-handed," said Daisy.

"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Daisy from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round her head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Miss Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

Daisy suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring between her nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.

"That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Miss Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave." Daisy took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once. Daisy had lost track of how many wands she had tried, the change in time was marked by the mounting piles of boxes containing rejected wands-and James' presence as he had tired of waiting by himself. Seeing Daisy's frustration Mr. Ollivander assured her "Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere - I wonder, now - - yes, why not - unusual combination - holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

Daisy took the wand. She felt sudden warmth in her fingers. She raised the wand above her head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. This received revelries from James and Sirius yet Mr. Ollivander seemed sullen and could only mutter "Well, well, well... how curious... how very curious..."

"Sorry sir, I hope you don't mind me for asking," asked Daisy, "but what's curious?"

Mr. Ollivander fixed Daisy with his pale, now mournful, stare.

"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Miss Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather - just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother why, its brother gave you that scar." Daisy swallowed.

"Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember... I think we must expect great things from you, Miss. Potter... After all, He- Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things - terrible, yes, but great."

Daisy shivered. She wasn't sure she liked Mr. Ollivander too much. She paid seven gold Galleons for her wand, and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his shop. With the late afternoon sun hanging low in the sky the trio made their way back to Sirius', too consumed in their own thoughts to speak.


	3. 11th birthday

**11****th**** birthday**

A/N: Blake is her brother, can't be bothered to make those tiny emendations to the preceding chapters

Daisy had no idea who He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was. But what did he have to do with her scar? Why were all of those people so excited-nay honoured-to meet her? Why did the bartender actually cry with gratitude? And what did it all have to do with the death of her mother and brother? Her father had always said that her mother and brother died in a kitchen explosion that destroyed most of the house; Daisy's survival was miraculous. For the first time that she could recall Daisy suspected that her -beloved, unflappable, trusted beyond all but Sirius-father had lied to her. And she would discover the truth.

They arrived at Sirius' and still no one had spoken a word about the wand. But it had definitely put a damper on the day. James had been planning on waiting until after dinner to tell Daisy the truth-but this wand had brought to the surface 7 years of guilt over lying to his daughter. He had to get it out. James sent Daisy to her room to look over her school supplies. Whether Daisy was still excited about examining all her new possessions or anxious about what Ollivander had said, James couldn't say. But either way she trotted off obediently-and didn't notice that James had kept the bag of books. He knew that the truth about Daisy was printed in a few of them, and he had to be the one to tell her.

As soon as she was out of earshot James shut the doors of Sirius' kitchen and cast a silencing charm for good measure. Before he got a word out Sirius fired up 'I think we should tell her now, before dinner. I know we didn't want to spoil it and maybe she won't want a party but I can't keep it from her anymore. I have half a mind to break that wand and take her back to Ollivanders to get another one.' Relieved James replied 'I agree, we need to tell her now. I mean she'll be back in here any minute demanding her books to see what she can find-and she will find the truth. As for the wand-I find it disconcerting but if that's the wand she's meant to have. Besides it's not like the wand made Voldemort evil and a wand can't control the spells it casts.' Sirius didn't argue although he didn't agree-with any luck Daisy would break it on her own.

"Should we get her in here and get this over with?" James nodded and removed the charm with a flick of his wand before shouting 'Daisy.' She came running in and as predicted 'Dad, can I have my books to look through?' James, who had just sat down at the table, shook his head before gesturing for Daisy to sit down at the head. She looked confused. Sirius sat down across from James and handed out three cokes-he always had had a penchant for all things muggle.

"Okay Daisy" begun James "the thing you need to understand is that not all wizards are good, some go bad. Years ago there was one who went as bad as you can go. He begun to gather a large number of followers though what exactly he wanted to achieve-no one is sure. He was stopped before he got that far. He was stopped by you." Daisy couldn't help it. She burst out laughing.

"Okay I know I can be gullible, but what are you two on about-what do you mean I stopped some evil wizard?" her laughing subsided when James and Sirius didn't join in. Sirius took over

"There was a group of people who fought against him; me, James, Lily, Remus were all in it. Then one day we found out that you, your brothers and parents had for a reason that I don't know been targeted by Voldemort so you all went into hiding. But on the Halloween of 1984 he found you all," Sirius' voice cracked.

"I wasn't there that night" James begun "neither was Blake, he was at Hogwarts. That's why we survived. We had been living in hiding for nearly two years and I'd become complacent and restless. Your mother practically kicked me out of the house to spend the night with Sirius. She joked that we should throw on white bed sheets and go trick or treating with a bunch of muggle kids. What exactly happened while I was gone-only you and Voldemort could say for sure. But thankfully you're too young to remember and he well some say he died. Everyone longed for it to be true. But I doubt if he had enough human left in him to die. But whatever happened you weakened him and he hasn't been heard from since. And I came home to find my one year old son dead in the doorway, your mother lying dead in front of your wardrobe-and you my miracle girl slumped unconscious in the wardrobe , with nothing but that scar", his voice trailed off.

"Wait so this Voldemort killed mum and Harry and tried to kill me." Sirius nodded. "But then what does He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named have to do with it, unless didn't he give me scar." Sirius nodded again. Beyond frustrated and overwhelmed Daisy yelled "which one are you agreeing to-who was it." Unshaken by her outburst Sirius explained "Voldemort had many names-Voldemort wasn't even his real name it was a name he gave himself. Actually he named himself Lord Voldemort or the Dark Lord, but I think those titles are null in void if you bestow them upon yourself. People who were afraid of him, for some reason I never understood, were afraid to speak his name so fittingly they referred to him as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named or You-Know-Who."

"But then why am I famous, I mean the bartender cried when he shook my hand" James took over again " You were four years old and you brought down the most famous evil wizard who ever lived when he was at the height of his powers. Also, the method Voldemort used to kill people was the Killing Curse-and you, my darling, are the only, known survivor of this curse. So people call you The Girl who Lived." Daisy's head was swimming, she didn't even ask to be excused-she just ran to her room.

The Girl who Lived, her sweet mother and baby brother murdered, her wand is this Voldemort's brother-how could people expect any greatness from her when she didn't remember a thing. Except a green light (maybe that was the curse), a woman (she now knew to be her mother) screaming and this information triggered another memory. A high, cold laugh; the most joyless, evil thing she'd ever heard. And a man screaming; were both of those sounds Voldemort? Either way that scream was the most pitiful thing she'd ever heard.

Daisy came out a while later to find James and Sirius still sitting at the table. Their eyes locked on her and they forced weak smiles. "Remus and Blake are still coming for dinner-but we understand if you don't want a party"

"And miss out on this present that Sirius has been going on about for weeks because he thinks it's so amazing I'll never leave for Hogwarts." The two men smiled at her. Her party encompassed a grand total of five people; Daisy, James, Sirius, Remus and Blake having pizza and cake in Sirius' apartment. Daisy loved it. She flipped through all her Hogwarts books trying to find a name for her owl-she came across Hedwig in a History of Magic and the owl hooted in agreement. Remus and Blake agreed that Hedwig was pretty dazzling-Blake complained he'd never gotten anything like that. Blake James Potter was Daisy's older brother by seven years. He'd just graduated Hogwarts and begun training as an auror. Given that his mother and brother had been murdered when he was eleven-you couldn't blame him for dedicating his schooling life to achieving the goal of becoming an auror. He was also the spitting image of their father; tall, muscular, handsome and bespectacled.

Sirius was also an auror and from what Daisy understood he was a pretty high up, she remembered her question from the bank "Sirius, why did that goblin know who you were?"

"Because my handsomeness is so legendary" Remus snorted

"More like your ego."

"Is that a hint of jealousy I detect in your voice Moony-is it that you want a go on old Padfoot."

Sirius had used Remus' weak point-any mention of sexual activity and he just shut down with embarrassment. James interceded "Sirius' family the Blacks are quite an old and well known and well respected family. Though Sirius is the last of them"

"And good riddance" added Sirius, raising a glass. Daisy knew that like Remus and romantic relationships, Sirius and his family was an awkward point- she didn't press it further.

Daisy knew that the Potter's too were an old family- that's why James had been able to live off the family fortune. He had once been an auror alongside Sirius but after the deaths of Lily and Harry he stayed home to take care of his now motherless daughter. However as Daisy had gotten older he begun taking occasional shifts at the Three Broomsticks-a pub in the village of Hogsmeade near Hogwarts. James did this just to get some fresh air and get out of the house-it also provided him ample opportunities to embarrass his son when he visited the village. This left Daisy to be babysat by Sirius or Remus. As much as she loved Remus she had to concede that it was much more fun being baby sat by Sirius-that would eat ridiculous amounts of ice cream, run around singing at the top of their lungs and set up booby traps in front of the fireplace for James when he flooed home.

Remus on the other hand was much more serious. Remus was also a werewolf. All Daisy knew was that he had been bitten when he was a child and when his fellow Marauder's discovered this they learned to become Animagi in order to keep their friend company on the full moon. Daisy also knew-from photographs and stories-that there had been a fourth marauder, but he was another 'leave it alone' subject. Due to his lycanthropy Remus was very limited in his job prospects-but the bookstore in Diagon Alley, Flourish and Blotts, employed him part time. Part time meaning the two weeks that did not precede or follow the full moon. As he only had this part time job he had little money, Daisy knew that James and Sirius both supplemented his finances with their respective family's wealth. For this acceptance and generosity Daisy thought that Remus must've been extremely grateful-perhaps that why he'd always gone along with his friends plans and helped get them out of trouble. Even when he thought they deserved it.

So engrossed in her thoughts of the men who'd raised her – she was only stirred from them when Sirius began shaking her telling her that it was time to open her present. James placed a long, thin box on the table in front of Daisy. She thought she knew what it was but she dared not say. She opened the box and there it was. A Nimbus 2000-the best broom in the world. Yet again the wizard world had left her speechless. "Sirius this is cruel," the men all looked shocked. "You said this present might just want to make me stay home-well you're right, all I want to do is stay here with all of you and fly around on this broom," knowing that his goddaughter was genuinely upset Sirius sprang into action. He threw his arm around his goddaughter. "Now Daisy you listen to me. Hogwarts is the most magical place you'll ever see. It puts all those muggle castles to shame. No I concede you won't have us or your broom but you'll have ghosts, and flying candles, and talking portraits and most importantly-be learning how to do magic. You'll see; you'll be back here before you know it, wanting to go back to Hogwarts-unless you're in Slytherin of course." His goddaughter looked downcast again-Sirius remembered James saying she was worried about that. Feeling like a colossal dick he backpedalled "Because it means you won't have to be traipsing down to a dungeon, with Snivellus Snape in charge of you. Besides the house you're in doesn't dictate the rest of your life-and if you are in Slytherin the silver and emerald they wear will go wonderfully with your eyes."

"Emerald" said Daisy, her emerald eyes widening.

"Yep and anyway whichever house gets you will be ecstatic" continued Sirius

"Because they got the Girl who Lived" interrupted Daisy.

"No, because they got the most wonderful Girl who ever lived." Sirius finished by giving his goddaughter a big hug. Remembering they weren't alone Daisy looked up. James and Blake were beaming-Remus looked astounded at his friend's maturity. Blake finally spoke up "Here, I wanted to pass these on to you." He passed her two packages. The first one contained a photo of a 10 year old Blake, 3 year old Daisy and baby Harry with their parents. Everyone was beaming-Harry waving a tiny, fat fist at the camera. Daisy felt tears welling up in her eyes-almost all their photographs had been destroyed that night. She opened the other package to see a broken mirror-seeing the confused look on her face James explained "It's a two way mirror, I have the other one so we can talk whenever you want. Sirius and I used to use them in detention-till McGonagall figured out that instead of being incredibly self-obsessed and staring at ourselves all the time we were chatting." Daisy, overwhelmed at how loved she was just looked up beaming and said

"Can we go home so I can fly my broom and make Sirius jealous?"


	4. Hogwart's Express

**Platform 9 and ¾ **

A month later, on September 1st; James, Sirius, Remus and Daisy were hovering in front of the barrier between platforms 9 and 10, waiting for a group of girls to stop staring at Sirius so they could sneak through. Sirius decided to go do a loop of the platform but promised he would be back to see Daisy off. At that moment a pair of people came up behind them "James, Remus-it's been too long." Flipping around Daisy saw it was a father and son. The father was tall and muscular, like her own. However there was intenseness in his eyes that James didn't have. Upon seeing the boy Daisy decided this was a good thing. He was very nervous looking as he pushed a trolley that was packed identically to Daisy's, except instead of Hedwig he had a toad.

"Frank it's nice to see you again" replied James

"And this must be Neville" added Remus "Goodness I haven't seen you seen you were a baby." Neville seemed taken aback by this before stuttering

"H…h…hello sir" the flustered boy could get no more about before Frank finally realised Daisy's presence and stopped dead "Sorry, you're the spitting image of your mother, thought I was looking at a ghost for a second, I know ghosts are rather white and translucent but any spirit of Lily Potter would have to be far more vibrant than the rest. Like the woman herself." The five of them just stood there staring until they were interrupted by Sirius "Frank it's been too long, nice to see you. And this must be Neville, look at you all grown up. Better watch out Frank, pretty soon he'll be stumbling off the Knight Bus at 3 in the morning, maybe with Daisy in tow." Sirius' easy banter lightened the tone and before more girls stared staring the group of now six slipped through the barrier. Daisy closed her eyes and went through with James at a run, after a few minutes she finally opened her eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven O'clock. Daisy looked behind him and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it.

Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.

The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. Daisy, Neville and their families decided to head off down the platform in search of an empty seat.

They passed a family of redheads and Daisy couldn't help but smile when she heard

"Now Fred, you and George had better look after Ron," a plump woman said.

"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"

"Sorry, George, dear."

"Just kidding I am George"

Daisy pressed on through the crowd until the group found an empty compartment near the end of the train. She put Hedwig inside as Neville put Trevor in. Whilst this was going on James and Sirius loaded her trunk into the compartment as Remus and Frank got Neville's. Sirius turned the two children "You know you two actually knew each other when you were babies" they stared amazed "all your parents went to school together and fought against Voldemort." Neville and Daisy now regarded each other as instant friends. They were all standing around talking when the red-haired twins Daisy overheard came sprinting past and accidentally knocked her over

"Oh, I'm sorry" one of them said, and immediately hurried over to help her back up, his brother close behind. "Thanks," said Daisy pushing the hair off her face once she was up

"What's that?" said the twin who'd helped her up, pointing at Daisy's lightning scar.

"Blimey," said the other twin "are you?"

"She is," said the first twin "Aren't you"

"Who?" asked Daisy, teasingly."

"Daisy Potter, "chorused the twins.

"Oh, her," said Daisy. "I mean, yes, I am."

The two boys gawked at her, and Daisy felt herself turning red. Then, to her relief, James interjected. "Perhaps you two best get on the train, plenty of time to get acquainted later?"

"Yes sir" they said in unison.

With a last look at Daisy, the twins went to join their family.

As Daisy, Neville and their families continued talking Daisy listened in on the conversation of the red-haired family.

"Shut up," said Ron. Daisy was unsure what insult the twins had thrown at him.

"Where's Percy?" said their mother.

"He's coming now."

The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Daisy noticed a shiny silver badge on his chest with the letter P on it.

"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves "

"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."

"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the other twin. "Once"

"Or twice-a day for the entire summer"

"Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect.

"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins.

"Because he's a prefect," said their mother fondly. "All right, dear, well, have a good term - send me an owl when you get there."

She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left.

"Hey, Mom, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?"

"Daisy Potter!" exclaimed the twins

"Oh, Mom, can I go down the platform and see her, Mom, eh please..." asked a little girl, Daisy presumed was their sister.

"Ginny, the poor girl isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is she really, Fred? How do you know?"

"Asked her. Saw her scar. It's really there - like lightning."

"Do you think she remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?" asked Ron

Their mother suddenly became very stern.

"I forbid you to ask her, you three; as though she needs reminding of that terrible night."

Daisy attention refocused to her group as she was hugged by Sirius "Now remember Miss Daisy I want to be hearing that your father has had a letter about you before the weeks out"

"Sirius" warned Remus

"Oh alright, I'll give you a fortnight or else you'll be getting a howler from me." With one last hug Daisy flashed him a massive smile before turning to Remus "Try not to get into too much trouble just to appease Sirius"

"Yes sir" she chimed while giving him a goodbye hug. Now it was James' turn, although he would never admit it he did look a bit teary eyed, he pulled Daisy into a bone crushing hug "What Padfoot and Moony said, work hard-have fun and be good, I'll see you at Christmas." Despite having finished his speech he was relenting from letting Daisy go. A whistle sounded. "Um Dad, I have to get on the train."

"Yes, yes off you go"

"So you have to let go of me." With that James finally surrendered his daughter and she issued a hasty goodbye to Frank, Daisy clambered on the train following Neville. Now that she was in the compartment, she couldn't help herself. Instead of listening to James, Sirius and Remus arguing about how many detentions Daisy should get her attention returned to the redheaded family.

The three boys had clambered onto the train. They leaned out of the window for their to kiss them good-bye, and their younger sister began to cry.

"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls."

"We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat."

"George!"

"Only joking, Mom."

"Besides, you gave us the idea the other day when you said we weren't to blow up any Hogwarts toilets"

"Even though we've never done that; and we never will" the boy quickly added upon seeing his mother's expression.

The train began to move. Daisy waved to her father, Sirius and Remus while watching the boys' sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train until it gathered too much speed.

Daisy watched them all disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Daisy felt her stomach twist. It was with great excitement that she would finally be entering the wizard world. Although Daisy would miss her family greatly she would still write to them every day. And although she didn't entirely know of the world she was entering it would be far greater than a life of muggle school she was leaving behind.

The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy came in.

"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Daisy. "Everywhere else is full."

Neville and Daisy gestured to the seat next to Neville and the boy sat down. He glanced at Daisy and then looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Daisy saw he still had a black mark on his nose.

"Hey, Ron"

The twins were back.

"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train - Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

"Right," mumbled Ron.

"Daisy," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And you are" they asked looking at Neville

"Neville Longbottom"

"Right, nice to meet you both. See you later, then."

"Bye," said Daisy, Neville and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door shut behind them.

"Are you really Daisy Potter?" Ron blurted out.

Daisy nodded.

"Oh -well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron. "And have you really got - you know..."

He pointed at Daisy's forehead.

Daisy pulled back her bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron and Neville stared.

"So that's where You-Know-Who"

"Yes," said Daisy, "but I can't remember it."

"Nothing?" persisted Neville.

"Well - I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."

"Wow," said Ron. Neville looked equally impressed. They sat and stared at Daisy for a few moments, then, as though they had suddenly realized what they were doing, Ron looked quickly out of the window again. Neville examined his toad.

"Are all your family wizards?" asked Daisy, who found the boys just as interesting as they found her.

"As far as I'm aware" answered Neville

"Same with me," said Ron. "I think Mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."

"So you guys must know loads of magic already, especially you Ron with three wizard brothers."

"Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. "I'm the sixth in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up to. Bill and Charlie have already left - Bill was head boy and Charlie was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."

Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was asleep.

"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff - I mean, I got Scabbers instead."

Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he went back to staring out of the window.

"If it helps Ron" begun Neville "my Gran takes the cake when it comes to family pressure. My father, Frank Longbottom, is a highly decorated auror, and my gran is always reminding me that my talent and his don't quite measure up. Dad says not to listen to her. It doesn't help that everyone thought I might be a squib, until my Uncle Algie dropped me out a window and I bounced. Even then there was doubt I'd get into Hogwarts, Uncle Algie was so proud he bought me this toad, Neville. Even so, my Gran is never going to be as proud of me as she is dad." This did cheer Ron up slightly, as Neville's face went red at his outburst against his Gran. Diffusing the tension Daisy asked "What's a squib"

"A non-magical person born to magical parents, the opposite of a muggle-born," answered Ron.

Daisy ruminated on all that had been said and decided she didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to afford an owl. Of course it was easy for her to think this. She had recently found out her family was wealthy-until that point she knew they had to have money as her father didn't work-but not the amount they did. Since she couldn't relate to Ron's (in Daisy's opinion dumbfounded) financial woes she decided to confide in Ron and Neville her own worries of the pressures that faced her. This seemed to cheer them both up. It was clear a friendship between the three had been formed.

"…everyone seems to expect great things from me just because I managed to stop Voldemort"

Ron gasped.

"What?" said Daisy?

"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Neville, sounding both shocked and impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people"

"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Daisy, "it's just what is he going to do about it?"

While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.

Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said, "Anything off the cart, dears?"

Daisy, who hadn't had any breakfast, leapt to her feet, but Ron's ears went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Daisy and Neville went out into the corridor.

Sirius had made sure to give her some extra galleons for snacks on the train. As had Remus. As had her father. So with her pockets rattling with gold Daisy got some of everything to share with her new friends. She'd only ever had wizard sweets when Sirius had bought her some from Diagon Alley. Daisy's collection which only cost eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts included; Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes and Licorice Wands.

Ron stared as Daisy and Neville brought it all back in to the compartment and tipped it onto an empty seat.

"Hungry, are you?"

"Starving," said Daisy, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty.

Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always forgets I don't like corned beef."

"Swap you for one of these," said Daisy, holding up a pasty. "Go on"

"You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."

"Go on, have a pasty," said Daisy, who had never had friends her own age to share sweets with. It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron and Neville, eating their way through all Daisy's and Neville's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten).

Daisy unwrapped a Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half- moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair, beard, and moustache. Underneath the picture was the name Albus Dumbledore.

"So this is Dumbledore!" said Daisy. She had heard of him from James, Sirius and Remus. The last of who always spoke of him with great admiration, the other two seemed more reserved. Daisy would remember to ask them why.

Daisy turned over her card and read:

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS

Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.

Daisy looked up and noticed Ron's eyes stray to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped. "Help yourself" said Daisy. As the three ate their way through the dwindling pile, Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Daisy couldn't keep her eyes off them. Soon she had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, and Merlin. She finally tore her eyes away from the druidess Cliodna, who was scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

They had a good time eating the Every Flavor Beans. Daisy got toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was even brave enough to nibble the end of a funny gray one neither Ron nor Neville would touch, which turned out to be pepper. The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills. There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the girl Daisy had passed on platform nine and threequarters came in. She looked tearful.

"Sorry," she said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"

When they shook their heads, she wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

"He'll turn up," said Daisy.

"Yes," said the girl miserably. "Well, if you see him..."

She left.

"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could." As soon as the words came out of his mouth he remembered Neville had a toad, attempting to rectify the situation he added "Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk." The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap,

Neville smiled before adding "sure he hasn't died."

"He might have you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look..." Daisy was glad there hadn't already been a row between her friends.

Ron rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end.

"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway"

He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless girl was back, but this time she had a boy with him. He was already wearing his new Hogwarts robes.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Lavender's lost one," he said. He was black, tall for his age and with kind eyes. Despite the demanding nature of his tone, Daisy couldn't help a strange feeling that swept over her by looking at him.

"We've already told her we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the boy wasn't listening, he was looking at the wand in Ron's hand.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."

He sat down. Ron looked taken aback.

"Er - all right."

He cleared his throat.

"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."

He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the boy. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, at least I don't think so-my aunt and uncle never speak of my parents, still it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard - I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough - I'm Dean Thomas, by the way, who are you."

As the words rattled out of Dean's mouth like the train along the track, Daisy, Neville and Ron were just looking at one another. She was relieved to see by their stunned faces that they hadn't learned the entire course books by heart either.

"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.

"Neville Longbottom"

"Daisy Potter," said Daisy.

"Are you really?" said Dean. "I know all about you, of course - I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."

"Am I?" said Daisy, feeling dazed-although part of her was relieved she had been sheltered from all this attention she would've appreciated finding out sooner. So she could digest it before being thrust into the magical world.

"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," said Dean. "Do any of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad... Anyway, we'd better go and look for Lavender's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon."

And he left, taking the toadless girl with her.

"Whatever house I'm in, I hope he's not in it," said Ron. He threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell - George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."

"What house are your brothers in?" asked Daisy.

"Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. "Mom and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."

"That's the house Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?"

"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.

"You know, you're not alone my parents were in Gryffindor," said Neville.

"Same" added Daisy "and I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter."

Trying to take Ron's mind off houses Daisy asked "So what do your oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?"

"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," said Ron.

"Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, someone tried to rob a high security vault," asked Neville

"I know. My dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts, but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course, everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case You-Know-Who's behind it," added Ron.

The trio sat in silence for a while when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless girl, or Dean Thomas this time.

Three boys entered, and Daisy recognized the middle one at once: it was the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Daisy with a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.

"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Daisy Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

"Yes," said Daisy. She was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Daisy was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford." Neville stayed silent, threatened by the building tension.

Draco turned back to Daisy. "As I'm sure you know some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

He held out his hand to shake Daisy's, but Daisy didn't take it.

"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," she said coolly.

Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your mother. She didn't know what was good for her, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys, and it'll rub off on you."

Daisy, Neville and Ron stood up.

"Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair.

"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.

"Unless you get out now," said Daisy, more bravely than she felt, because Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than her or Ron.

"But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some."

Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron - Ron leapt forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a horrible yell.

Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk deep into Goyle's knuckle - Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once. Perhaps they thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd heard footsteps, because a second later, Dean Thomas had come in.

"What has been going on?" he said, looking at the sweets all over the floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail.

"I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Daisy. He looked closer at Scabbers. "No - I don't believe it - he's gone back to sleep-"

And so he had. Daisy couldn't help but snicker at Scabbers as she recounted her run in with Malfoy in Diagon Alley.

"I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side." He turned to Dean. "Can we help you with something?"

"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"

"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling. "Would you mind leaving while we change?"

"All right - I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Dean in a sniffy voice. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?"

Ron glared at him as he left. Daisy peered out of the window. It was getting dark. She could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.

Her, Neville and Ron took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes. Ron's were a bit short for him, you could see his sneakers underneath them.

A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

Daisy's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, she saw, looked pale under his freckles. They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Daisy shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Daisy heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Daisy?"

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

"C'mon, follow me - any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Daisy thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Lavender, the girl who kept losing her toad, sniffed once or twice.

"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black take. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a castle that radiated more magnificence than any Daisy had seen in muggle fairytales.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Daisy, Neville and Ron were followed into their boat, much to Ron's chagrin, by Dean. "Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then - FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried Lavender blissfully, holding out her hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.


	5. The Sorting Hat

**The Sorting Hat **

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Daisy's immediately recognized her as Professor McGonagall, the woman who seemed to still conjure fear and respect in the Marauder's hearts. Apparently Daisy had met her as an infant as well-but Daisy only knew this woman as the one to bring the Marauder's escapades to a crashing halt.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole house in it, numerous times. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Daisy could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right -the rest of the school must already be here - but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room."

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points." McGonagall instantly recognised Daisy, for when she mentioned that last clause she gave Daisy a quick look "At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Her eyes lingered again for a moment, but this time on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Daisy nervously tried to flatten her hair.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber. Daisy swallowed. Her head was swimming with the Marauder's tales of how the sorting took place. Her father had tried to convice her that she would have to perform magic in front of the school; Sirius had said she'd have to wrestle a mountain troll/vampire/banshee or all of the above depending on what kind of mood McGonagall was in. Remus had said that all they had to do was try on a hat. Daisy hoped Remus was telling the truth-but even then her head was full of doubts. What if the hat didn't fit? And what if she was in Slytherin?

Daisy looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified, too. No one was talking much except Dean Thomas, who was whispering very fast about all the spells he'd learned and wondering which one he'd need. Daisy tried hard not to listen to him. She just kept her eyes fixated on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would come back and lead her to her doom.

Then something happened that made her jump about a foot in the air - several people behind her screamed.

"What the -?"

She gasped. So did the people around her. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.

Nobody answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

Feeling oddly as though her legs had turned to lead, Daisy got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, with Ron behind her, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

Sirius hadn't been lying, Daisy had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Daisy looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. She heard

Dean whisper, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."

It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens.

Daisy quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. Apart from the uncleanliness of it, it reminded Daisy of Remus' clothes.

Thinking of him, Daisy knew that Remus hadn't been lying. When she got a chance to talk to her father and Sirius they were going to be getting very stern telling's off. Though Daisy knew that would just make them laugh at her, and say "more and more like Lily". Daisy was pulled out of her thoughts when the rip near the brim of the hat opened wide like a mouth - and it began to sing:

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffis are true And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

if you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

Although Daisy was relived no wand work would be involved she wished they could have tried it on without everyone watching. The hat seemed to be asking rather alot; Daisy didn't feel brave or quick-witted or any of it at the moment. If only the hat had mentioned a house for people who felt a bit queasy, that would have been the one for her.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause -

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Daisy saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at Hannah.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender," the nervous toadless girl, became the first new Gryffindor. Daisy was ashamed of it but this appointment surprised her, nevertheless the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Daisy could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was Daisy's imagination, after all she'd heard about Slytherin, but she thought they looked like an unpleasant lot. She was starting to feel definitely sick now.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Sometimes, Daisy noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy next to Daisy in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

Daisy couldn't help but let her eyes wander and she noticed that many people were staring at her. This added pressure caused a horrible thought to strike. What if she wasn't chosen at all? What if she just sat there with the hat on for ages, until Professor McGonagall jerked it off her head and said there had been a mistake and Daisy was to go home? When Neville was called, he first looked anxiously at Daisy who gave him a little push and told him to save her and Ron a seat at the Gryffindor table; he then fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville was absolutely beaming and ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter. He went bright red, but cheered up when Ron and Daisy both gave him big thumbs up.

Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"

Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.

There weren't many people left now. "Moon" "Nott" "Parkinson" then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil" then "Perks, Sally-Anne" and then, at last – "Potter, Daisy!"

As Daisy stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

"Potter, did she say?"

The Daisy Potter?"

The last thing Daisy saw before the hat dropped over her eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at her. Next second she was looking at the black inside of the hat. She waited. Her stomach was absolutely turning and she wouldn't be surprised if she one upped Neville by chucking up the Hogwarts Express snacks right there. Now that she would never live down once Sirius heard. Although everyone insisted it didn't matter what house Daisy was in, she knew they would have difficulty coping with her being a Slytherin.

"Hmm," said a small voice in her ear, Daisy gripped the edges of the stool so hard she thought it might break . "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, my goodness, yes - and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting... So where shall I put you? I can see you're very worried about this decision."

All Daisy focused on thinking was not Slytherin, not Slytherin.

"Not Slytherin, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that - no? Well, if you're sure - better be GRYFFINDOR!"

Daisy heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. She took off the hat and walked shakily toward the Gryffindor table. She felt a massive weight be lifted off the shoulders and she was so encompassed in planning the letter to James, Sirius and Remus she would write that night that she hardly noticed that he was getting the loudest cheer yet. Percy the Prefect got up and shook his hand vigorously, while the Weasley twins yelled, "We got Potter! We got Potter!" Daisy sat down next to Neville, who had saved seats as promised, the pair flashed each other wide smiles. Across from Daisy was the ghost in the ruff she'd seen earlier. The ghost patted her arm, giving Daisy the sudden, horrible feeling she'd just plunged it into a bucket of ice-cold water. Even that feeling couldn't dampen the warm, relief that had flooded over her.

She could see the High Table properly now. At the end nearest her sat Hagrid, who caught her eye and gave her the thumbs up. Daisy grinned back. And there, in the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. Daisy recognised him at once from his Chocolate Frog cards. Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. Daisy spotted Professor Snape, too, the man she'd run into in Diagon Alley. She realised the Marauder's hadn't been lying; now that Daisy could get a good look at him he did have remarkably greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin. He caught her looking and his facial expression was as confusing and implacable as ever, though he did look a little grey. Was it because of Daisy's Gryffindor sorting?

And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean," almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on his head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Much to Daisy's pleasure he sat directly across from her.

"Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now. Daisy crossed her fingers under the table and a second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Daisy clapped loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair on the other side of Neville.

"Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy Weasley pompously across Daisy as "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.

Daisy looked down at his empty gold plate. She had only just realized how hungry she now was. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages ago.

Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

With that he sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Daisy didn't know whether to laugh or not.

"Is he - a bit mad?" she asked Percy uncertainly.

"Mad?" said Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But like all true geniuses he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Daisy?"

Daisy's mouth fell open. The dishes in front of her were now piled with food. She had never seen so many things she liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.

Although her dad always provided her with plentiful amounts of food, he was never the best cook. So Daisy piled her plate with a bit of everything except the peppermints and began to eat. It was all delicious.

"That does look good," said the ghost in the ruff sadly, watching Daisy cut up her steak,

"Can't you -?"

"I haven't eaten for nearly four hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've in troduced myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service; resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"Oh of course" said Daisy, this ghost had featured in the Marauder's story's as well "You're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.

"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"

Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted.

"Like this," he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly. Daisy was glad he hadn't done that when she was feeling queasy. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces, Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said, "So - new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable - he's the Slytherin ghost."

Daisy looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained with silver blood. He was right next to Malfoy who, Daisy was pleased to see, didn't look too pleased with the seating arrangements.

"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus with great interest.

"I've never asked," said Nearly Headless Nick delicately.

When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding -

As Daisy helped herself to a treacle tart, the talk turned to their families.

"I'm half-and-half," said Seamus. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."

The others laughed.

"What about you, Neville?" said Ron.

"I was raised by my dad, he's a wizard," said Neville, "but the family thought I was all- Muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me - he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned - but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced - all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here - they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad." Daisy had already heard most of this story on the train looked around.

On Daisy's other side, Percy Weasley and Dean were talking about lessons ("I do hope they start right away, there's so much to learn, I'm particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult-"; "You'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of thing – ").

Daisy, who was starting to feel warm and sleepy, looked up at the High Table again. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Professor Snape was talking to a man with an absurd turban on it happened very suddenly, Snape looked passed the turban wearing man and straight into Daisy's eyes - and a sharp, hot pain shot across the scar on Daisy's forehead.

"Ouch!" Daisy clapped a hand to her head.

"What is it?" asked Percy.

"N-nothing."

The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Harder to shake off was the feeling Daisy had gotten from Snape's look. He had finally decided how he felt about her-and it didn't seem like a good thing. Daisy was again distracted by the teacher in the ridiculously oversized turban, who was fidgeting more nervously than all the first years put together.

"Who's that teacher talking to Professor Snape, and why is he so nervous?" she asked Percy.

"Oh, you know Snape already, do you? Well I don't know much about their relationship but he's speaking with Professor Quirrell. Snape teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to - everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."

Daisy watched Snape for a while, but Snape didn't look at her again.

At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

"Ahern - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Daisy laughed, but she was one of the few who did.

"He's not serious?" she muttered to Percy.

"Must be," said Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere - the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least."

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Daisy noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words. "Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!" And the school bellowed:

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot."

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. They stood there in a serious, sanctimonious manner with their arms crossed behind their backs. Percy rolled his eyes but Daisy thought her ribs would break from suppressing laughter. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

The Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Daisy's legs were like lead again, but only because she was so tired and full of food. She was too sleepy even to be surprised that the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed, or that twice Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet, and Daisy was just wondering how much farther they had to go when they came to a sudden halt.

A bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair ahead of them, and as Percy took a step toward them they started throwing themselves at him. "Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years. "A poltergeist." He raised his voice, "Peeves - show yourself." There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross- legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks. "Oooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!"

Daisy had also heard of Peeves from the Marauder's Tales and remembering she was supposed to give him a message dragged herself forward "Excuse me Mr. Peeves." Peeves, along with everyone else was gob smacked that not only had Daisy approached the poltergeist, but she had done it in such a polite manner. "My father, Prongs, told me to send you his highest regards along with those of Messrs. Moony and Padfoot. And that they sincerely hope you have been wreaking havoc against rule followers in their absence." Peeve's wide mouth split into a grin and without another word he floated away. But not without dropping the walking sticks on Percy's head, who seemed rather put out by Daisy.

The group merely continued along the corridor in a stunned silence, Ron and Neville couldn't stop staring at her, until they reached a portrait at the end of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress. "Password?" she said. "Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled through it - Lavender needed a leg up - and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs.

Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. She bade Ron and Neville a good night, Ron was still commending the food as he headed up his spiral staircase. Daisy headed up hers and found her bed at last: her room contained five four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, the girls pulled on their pajamas and fell into bed. Daisy also placed the photograph of her father and mother holding baby Harry, on her beside table.

Unable to wait until morning Daisy pulled out the mirror James had given to her and whispered into it "Dad." James' face immeadietly appeared "I got in Gryffindor." James' face split into a wide grin, he seemed pleased beyond words. "Listen Dad I've got heaps to tell you, but I'll leave it till tomorrow I'm just too tired. I just wanted to tell you that and ask if we should prank Sirius and tell him I'm in Slytherin." Before James could answer however the mirror was snatched by him from a rather grumpy Sirius, Daisy could hear Remus laughing in the background. She couldn't help but feel a pang of jealously that they were hanging out without her. "Miss Daisy, as amusing as that would've been have I taught you nothing about discretion?"

"I didn't know you were there" retored Daisy

"I'll take that as a no then Padfoot" James finally added. Before Daisy could get another word in the heaviness of her eyelids took over and she fell asleep listening to the old friends banter.

Perhaps Daisy had eaten a bit too much, because she had a very strange dream. She was wearing Professor Quirrell's turban, which kept talking to her, telling her she must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was her destiny. Daisy told the turban she didn't want to be in Slytherin; it got heavier and heavier; she tried to pull it off but it tightened painfully - and there was Malfoy, laughing at her as he struggled with it -then Malfoy turned into Snape, whose laugh became high and cold - there was a burst of green light and Daisy woke, sweating and shaking. She still had the mirror on her chest so she put it on the bedside table, next to the photograph.

She then rolled over and fell asleep again, and when she woke next day, she didn't remember the dream at all.


	6. The Potions Master

**THE POTIONS MASTER**

"There, look."

"Where?"

"Next to those kids, the tall one with the red hair and the nervous looking one."

"Wearing the glasses?"

"Did you see her face?"

"Did you see her scar?"

Whispers followed Daisy from the moment she left her dormitory the next day. People lining up outside classrooms stood on tiptoe to get a look at her, or doubled back to pass her in the corridors again, staring. Daisy wished they wouldn't. She had enough to worry about, just with finding her way to classes.

There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was also very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot. The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other, and Daisy was sure the coats of armor could walk.

Despite the frustrations caused by this maze of a place, Daisy could see why the Marauders gushed over it. It was even more interesting and full of life than Diagon Alley. Even though her parentage had earned her an ally in Peeves (which really meant that he just flashed a smile whenever he saw her and didn't harass her) the ghosts were less than helpful. With the exception of Nearly Headless Nick who was always happy to point new Gryffindors in the right direction.

Even worse than the maze that was Hogwarts, was the caretaker, Argus Filch. Daisy, Neville and Ron managed to get on the wrong side of him on their very first morning. Filch found them trying to force their way through a door that unluckily turned out to be the entrance to the out-of-bounds corridor on the third floor. He wouldn't believe they were lost, was sure they were trying to break into it on purpose, and was threatening to lock them in the dungeons when they were rescued by Professor Quirrell, who was passing.

Filch owned a cat called Mrs. Norris, a scrawny, dust-colored creature with bulging, lamp like eyes just like Filch's. She patrolled the corridors alone. Break a rule in front of her, put just one toe out of line, and she'd whisk off for Filch, who'd appear, wheezing, two seconds later. Filch knew the secret passageways of the school better than anyone (except perhaps the Marauders and now Weasley twins) and could pop up as suddenly as any of the ghosts. The students all hated him, and it was the dearest ambition of many to give Mrs. Norris a good kick.

And then, once you had managed to find them, there were the classes themselves. There was a lot more to magic, as Daisy quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a few funny words.

They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets. Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, where they learned how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi, and found out what they were used for. This class was a particular favourite of Neville's.

Easily the most boring class was History of Magic, which was the only one taught by a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff room fire and got up next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Binns droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates, and got Emetic the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up.

Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their first class he took the roll call, and when he reached Daisy's name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight.

Professor McGonagall was again different. Daisy had been quite right to think she wasn't a teacher to cross. Strict and clever, she gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class. "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time. After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, only Daisy (much to her surprise) had made any difference to her match; Professor McGonagall showed the class how it had gone all silver and pointy and gave Daisy a rare smile. "So like Lily" was all she said before inspecting the handiwork of others.

The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days. His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story. For one thing, when Seamus Finnigan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about the weather; for another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went.

Daisy was very relieved to find out that she wasn't miles behind everyone else. In fact there were so many muggle-borns she had something of a head start.

Friday was an important day for Daisy, Neville and Ron. They finally managed to find their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast without getting lost once.

"What have we got today?" Daisy asked Neville. Ron was busy pouring sugar on his porridge.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Neville. Ron groaned before explaining "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favors them - we'll be able to see if it's true."

"Wish McGonagall favored us," said Daisy. Professor McGonagall was head of Gryffindor House, but it hadn't stopped her from giving them a huge pile of homework the day before.

Just then, the mail arrived. Daisy had gotten used to this by now, but it had given her a bit of a shock on the first morning, when about a hundred owls had suddenly streamed into the Great Hall during breakfast, circling the tables until they saw their owners, and dropping letters and packages onto their laps.

Since the first morning Daisy had been corresponding with the Marauders almost daily. They were glad that Peeves remembered them-and that Daisy had made two genuine friends, they were amused that Daisy kept getting lost and that Daisy had been worried about the sorting ceremony. She hadn't confided in them (in anyone for that matter) about the pain in her scar, but she decided to think nothing of it whilst it remained a one off. She was also getting used to letters written by all three of them; most notably one where Remus and Sirius argued over Sirius trying to get Daisy to call McGonagall 'Minnie.' They decided whilst taking on the mirror that she would try a bit of cheek if she continued to excel in Transfiguration.

Toady however Hedwig fluttered down with both a letter and a note. As Daisy got reading Hedwig begun to have a bit of Neville's toast. The letter was from Blake chastising her for not speaking to her only brother-even though he heard everything from their father. Daisy decided she would write to Blake tomorrow. The note however was written in a very untidy scrawl:

Dear Daisy,

I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three?

I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig.

Hagrid

Daisy borrowed Ron's quill, scribbled Yes, please, see you later on the back of the note, and sent Hedwig off again. It was lucky that Daisy had tea with Hagrid to look forward to, because the Potions lesson turned out to be the worst thing that had happened to him so far. At the start-of-term banquet, Daisy had gotten the idea that Professor Snape disliked her. By the end of the first Potions lesson, she knew she'd been wrong. Snape didn't dislike Daisy - he hated her.

Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls. Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Daisy's name. However his reaction wasn't one of endearment, quite the contrary.

"Ah, yes," he said softly, "Daisy Potter. Our new….celebrity."

Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word - like Professor McGonagall, Snape had hooked on his every word - like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

More silence followed this little speech. Daisy, Neville and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. Daisy was taken aback by the abrupt end to an otherwise rather beautiful description of potions. Dean Thomas was on the edge of his seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. Her snapped in his direction. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Daisy glanced at Ron then at Neville, both of whom looked as stumped as she was; Dean's hand had shot into the air.

"I don't know, sir," said Daisy. Snape's lips curled into a sneer.

"Tut, tut - fame clearly isn't everything."

He ignored Dean's hand.

"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Dean stretched his hand as high into the air as it would go without him leaving his seat, but Daisy didn't have the faintest idea what a bezoar was. He tried not to look at Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were shaking with laughter.

"I don't know, sir."

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?" Daisy forced herself to keep looking straight into those cold eyes. Knowing that Potions had been one of her mother's favourite subjects (and being as fascinated with this world as she was) Daisy had looked through her books. But did Snape expect her to remember everything in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi?

Snape was still ignoring Dean's quivering hand.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

At this, Dean stood up, his hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling.

"I don't know, sir," said Daisy quietly. "But I think Dean does, though, so why don't you try him?" she added more defiantly.

A few people laughed; Daisy caught Seamus's eye, and Seamus winked. Snape, however, was not pleased.

"Sit down," he snapped at Dean. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter."

Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Dean's cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.

"Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Daisy and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.

"You - Potter - why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."

As if Snape's treatment of Neville wasn't cruel enough he went and added this, Daisy opened her mouth to argue, but Ron kicked her behind their cauldron.

"Don't push it," he muttered, "I've heard Snape can turn very nasty." Daisy decided she didn't want to find out how much nastier he could get.

As they climbed the steps out of the dungeon an hour later, meeting a healed Neville at the top, Daisy's mind was racing and her spirits were low. She'd lost two points for Gryffindor in her very first week - why did Snape hate her so much? "Cheer up," said Ron, after filling Neville in on what had happened after he left the class. Neville tried to apologise to Daisy but she cut him off, insisting it wasn't his fault Snape was a Grade-A git. She decided next time she talked with the Marauder's she'd find out what just had transpired between them and Snivellus.

"Snape's always taking points off Fred and George". Had Ron been talking that whole time? "Can we come and meet Hagrid with you?" added Neville.

At five to three they left the castle and made their way across the grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest, as he said in Diagon Alley. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door.

When Daisy knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "Back, Fang - back."

Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.

"Hang on," he said. "Back, Fang."

He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.

There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it. "Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked.

"This is Ron and Neville," Daisy told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate.

"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles. "I've spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest."

The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth, but Daisy, Neville and Ron pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid all about their first lessons. Fang rested his head on Ron's knee and drooled all over his robes.

Daisy, Neville and Ron were delighted to hear Hagrid call Fitch "that old git."

"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her - Fitch puts her up to it."

Daisy told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like Ron, told Daisy not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students.

"But he seemed to really hate me."

"Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?" Yet Daisy couldn't help thinking that Hagrid didn't quite meet his eyes when he said that. Before she got to mention the Marauder's Hagrid changed the subject.

"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron. "I liked him a lot - great with animals."

While Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons, Daisy picked up a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cozy. It was a cutting from the Daily Prophet:

GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST

Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown. Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day.

"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this afternoon.

Daisy remembered Ron telling him on the train that someone had tried to rob Gringotts, but Ron hadn't mentioned the date.

"Hagrid!" said Daisy, "that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"

There was no doubt about it; Hagrid definitely didn't meet Daisy's eyes this time. He grunted and offered her another rock cake. Daisy read the story again. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied earlier that same day. Had Hagrid's 'Hogwarts business' had something to do with this vault?

As Daisy, Neville and Ron walked back to the castle for dinner, their pockets weighed down with rock cakes they'd been too polite to refuse, Daisy thought that none of the lessons she'd had so far had given him as much to think about as tea with Hagrid. Hagrid had something to do with that vault, but what was it and what did it have to do with the school? And Daisy knew that Hagrid knew something about Snape that he didn't want to disclose, not wanting to overstep with Hagrid she decided she would ask the Marauders next time they talked.


	7. The Midnight Duel

**A/N: I deleted the previous Author's Note, I'd still like people's opinion on whether or not they're enjoying the story and want me to continue-but for the time being I still have a few ideas and am enjoying writing it for myself**

**THE MIDNIGHT DUEL**

Daisy had decided that she would never meet a boy who was more conceited and filled her with more hatred than Dudley Dursely. Then she met Draco Malfoy.

Fortunately the first year Gryffindors and Slytherins only had potions class together, so there was limited Malfoy exposure. That was until they were informed that these groups had flying lessons together. Daisy had always enjoyed flying, this was one aspect of wizarding life that she had been raised around. Knowing that she would have a head start on some of the others she decided that not even the likes of Draco Malfoy would mar this experience.

"Oh God, Malfoy'll be unbearable" moaned Neville.

"Don't worry, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk," said Ron comfortingly.

Malfoy certainly did talk about flying a lot. He complained loudly about first years never getting on the house Quidditch teams and told long, boastful stories that always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters. Even Ron would tell anyone who'd listen about the time he'd almost hit a hang glider on Charlie's old broom. Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly. Daisy decided she'd keep her flying experiences to herself-at least until after they started lessons.

Ron had gotten into it again with Dean Thomas, who he shared a dormitory with, about soccer. Ron couldn't see what was exciting about a game with only one ball where no one was allowed to fly. Daisy, who spent much time in the boys dorm, had caught Ron prodding Dean's poster of West Ham soccer team, trying to make the players move.

Neville had never been on a broomstick in his life, because his father had never let him near one. Privately, Daisy felt he'd had good reason, because Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground.

Dean Thomas was almost as nervous about flying as Neville was. This was something you couldn't learn by heart out of a book - not that he hadn't tried. At breakfast on Thursday he bored them all stupid with flying tips he'd gotten out of a library book called Quidditch Through the Ages. Neville was hanging on to his every word, desperate for anything that might help him hang on to his broomstick later, but everybody else was very pleased when Dean's lecture was interrupted by the arrival of the mail.

Daisy still had a constant stream of letters from home; James and Remus complaining how hyperactive Sirius was since his lost his favourite playmate; Sirius complaining that the two didn't find it funny when he dyed their hair purple and that they hadn't had a letter about Daisy yet. However the threat of a howler was yet to be fulfilled. Despite being kept abreast of all the happenings with the Marauders, Daisy couldn't help but feel they were keeping something from her. Today she had a letter from them wishing her luck with flying as well as the same from her brother.

She enjoyed reading this as she tried to ignore Malfoy and his eagle owl, which was always bringing him packages of sweets from home, which he opened gloatingly at the Slytherin table.

A barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. Although he also had regular correspondence with his father, this was the first package he'd received. He opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke. "It's a Remembrall!" he explained. "Gran knows I forget things - this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red - oh..." His face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet,

"You've forgotten something..."

Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand. Daisy and Ron jumped to their feet. They were half hoping for a reason to fight Malfoy, but Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash.

"What's going on?"

"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor." Scowling, Malfoy quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table. "Just looking," he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him.

At three-thirty that afternoon, Daisy, Ron, Neville and the other Gryffindors hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.

The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Daisy had heard Fred and George Weasley complain about the school brooms, saying that some of them started to vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left.

Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk. "Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

Daisy glanced down at her broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles. It was nothing like the broomsticks she had at home when she, James, Blake and Sirius used to play two a side with Remus refereeing. She found herself longing for her Nimbus 2000.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"

"UP" everyone shouted.

Daisy's broom jumped into her hand at once, but it was one of the few that did. Dean Thomas's had simply rolled over on the ground, and Neville's hadn't moved at all. Perhaps brooms, like horses, could tell when you were afraid, thought Daisy; there was a quaver in Neville's voice that said only too clearly that he wanted to keep his feet on the ground. Daisy whispered this to Neville and so he more confidently said 'Up,' it moved and after a few goes flew into his hand-he flashed a very grateful smile.

Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips. Daisy, Neville and Ron were delighted when she told Malfoy he'd been doing it wrong for years.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle - three – two"

But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.

"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle - twelve feet - twenty feet. Daisy saw his scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp, slip sideways off the broom and -

WHAM - a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay face down on the grass in a heap. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight.

Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.

"Broken wrist," Daisy heard her mutter. "Come on, boy - it's all right, up you get."

She turned to the rest of the class.

"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."

Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.

No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?"

The other Slytherins joined in.

"Shut up, Malfoy, God what about your face when Madam Hooch told you you've been holding a broom incorrectly for years" snapped Parvati Patil. The Gryffindors laughed in a united front.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati." Before she could retort

"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Daisy quietly. Everyone stopped talking to watch.

Malfoy smiled nastily.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find - how about - up a tree?"

"Give it here!" Daisy yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. He hadn't been lying, he could fly well. But so could she. Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"

Daisy grabbed her broom.

"No!" shouted Dean Thomas. "Madam Hooch told us not to move - you'll get us all into trouble."

Daisy ignored him. Blood was pounding in her ears. She mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up, up she soared; air rushed through her hair, and her robes whipped out behind her. Although it felt awkward with a skirt on she felt that rush of fierce joy that always overcame her when she flew-this was easy, this was wonderful and she could do it without being taught. She pulled her broomstick up a little to take it even higher and heard screams and gasps of girls back on the ground and an admiring whoop from Ron.

She turned her broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in midair. Malfoy looked stunned.

"Give it here," Daisy called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

"Oh, yeah?" said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but looking worried.

After of years of playing against Sirius (who played dirty), Daisy knew what to do. She leaned forward and grasped the broom tightly in both hands, and it shot toward Malfoy like a javelin. Malfoy only just got out of the way in time; Daisy made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady. A few people below were clapping.

"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Daisy called.

The same thought seemed to have struck Malfoy.

"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground.

Daisy saw, as though in slow motion, the ball rise up in the air and then start to fall. She leaned forward and pointed her broom handle down - next second she was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball - wind whistled in her ears, mingled with the screams of people watching - she stretched out her hand - a foot from the ground she caught it, just in time to pull her broom straight, and she toppled gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in her fist.

The elation she felt was brought crashing down with two words

"DAISY POTTER!"

Professor McGonagall was running toward them. Daisy got to her feet, trembling.

"Never - in all my time at Hogwarts"

Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "how dare you - might have broken your neck—not even your father would have tried this"

"It wasn't her fault, Professor"

"Be quiet, Miss Patil"

"But Malfoy"

"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Miss Potter, follow me, now."

Daisy caught sight of Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle's triumphant faces as she left, walking numbly in Professor McGonagall's wake as she strode toward the castle. She was going to be expelled, she just knew it. She wanted to say something to defend herself, but there seemed to be something wrong with her voice. Professor McGonagall was sweeping along without even looking at her; she had to jog to keep up. Now she'd done it. She hadn't even lasted two weeks. She'd be packing her bags in ten minutes. What would the Marauders say? They'd be so disappointed-she knew that managing to get expelled in less than a fortnight had overstepped the mark.

Up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside, and still Professor McGonagall didn't say a word to her. She wrenched open doors and marched along corridors with Daisy trotting miserably behind her. Maybe she was taking her to Dumbledore. Daisy thought of Hagrid, expelled but allowed to stay on as gamekeeper. Perhaps she could be Hagrid's assistant. Her stomach twisted as she imagined it, watching Ron and the others becoming wizards, while she stumped around the grounds carrying Hagrid's bag.

Professor McGonagall stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door and poked her head inside.

"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?"

Wood? thought Daisy, bewildered; was Wood a cane she was going to use on her? But the Marauders said they'd got rid of the cane? Was McGonagall making an exception-or had that been a lie? No, they wouldn't lie about such a thing?

The Marauder's weren't lying, Wood turned out to be a person, a burly fifth-year boy who came out of Flitwick's class looking confused.

"Follow me, you two," said Professor McGonagall, and they marched on up the corridor, Wood looking curiously at Daisy.

"In here."

Professor McGonagall pointed them into a classroom that was empty except for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard.

"Out, Peeves!" she barked. Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which clanged loudly, and he swooped out cursing, smiling at Daisy. Professor McGonagall slammed the door behind him and turned to face the two.

"Miss Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood - I've found you a Seeker."

Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight.

"Are you serious, Professor?"

"Absolutely," said Professor McGonagall crisply. "The girl's a natural. I've never seen anything like it. Though with your father, brother and godfather I take it that wasn't your first time on a broomstick, Miss Potter?"

Daisy nodded silently, unable to speak. She didn't have a clue what was going on, but she didn't seem to be being expelled, and some of the feeling started coming back to her legs.

"She caught that thing in her hand after a fifty-foot dive," Professor McGonagall told Wood. "Didn't even scratch herself; Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it."

Wood was now looking as though all his dreams had come true at once.

"Ever seen a game of Quidditch, Potter?" he asked excitedly. Daisy nodded, still too overwhelmed to do much else.

"Wood's captain of the Gryffindor team" Professor McGonagall explained.

"She's just the build for a Seeker, too," said Wood, now walking around Daisy and staring at her. "Light - speedy - we'll have to get her a decent broom, Professor"

Finally Daisy spoke, cutting Wood off "I got a broom for my birthday, a Nimbus 2000." She thought Wood might kiss her then and there. Beaming, Professor McGonagall said

"I shall write to your father and ask him to send it then, and I'd better speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the first-year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year. Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks..."

Professor McGonagall peered sternly over her glasses at Daisy.

"I want to hear you're training hard, Miss Potter, or I may change my mind about punishing you."

Then she suddenly smiled again.

"Your father will be very proud," she said. "He was an excellent Quidditch player himself." Suddenly remembering her mirror Daisy asked to be excused and ran up to her dorm room. She pulled out the mirror almost instantaneously there was James, he seemed worried "You never call during the day, is everything alright." Daisy decided to tease him a little "Well" she started "you'll be getting a letter from Professor McGonagall." She heard an uproarious cheer in the background and into the mirror came Sirius "well done babe, what was it-starting a food fight, trapping Mrs. Norris in a suit of armour?"

"Actually it was something none of the Marauders ever managed to achieve" she gave a very fast recount of the day's events which culminated with her exclaiming "I've been made the Gryffindor seeker." They were both gob smacked, the pride radiating from their silent beaming faces. They sat there talking for a while longer before Daisy realised it was dinnertime, she said her goodbyes and met Neville and Ron at the foot of the girl's staircase.

Ron had filled Neville in about what happened after he left class so as they headed to the great hall Daisy told them all about what happened when she'd left the grounds with Professor McGonagall. They sat down and for the first time since she'd met him Ron seemed to have forgotten about the copious amounts of food laid out in front of him.

"Seeker?" he said. "But first years never - you must be the youngest house player"

"in a century", interjected Daisy, shoveling pie into her mouth. She felt particularly hungry after the excitement of the afternoon. "Wood told me." Ron and Neville were so amazed, so impressed, they just sat and gaped at Daisy.

"I start training next week," said Daisy. "Only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret."

Fred and George Weasley now came into the hall, spotted Daisy, and hurried over.

"Well done," said George in a low voice. "Wood told us. We're on the team too - Beaters."

"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year," said Fred. "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Daisy, Wood was almost skipping when he told us."

"Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."

"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you."

Fred and George had hardly disappeared when someone far less welcome turned up: Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.

"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to your father and pair of surrogate mothers?" Biting her tongue at his remark about Sirius and Remus "You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said Daisy coolly. There was of course nothing at all little about Crabbe and Goyle, but as the High Table was full of teachers, neither of them could do more than crack their knuckles and scowl.

"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only - no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"

"Of course she has," said Ron, wheeling around. "I'm her second, who's yours?"

Malfoy looked at Crabbe and Goyle, sizing them up.

"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."

When Malfoy had gone, Ron, Neville and Daisy looked at each other. "What is a wizard's duel?" said Daisy. "And what do you mean, you're my second?"

"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," said Ron casually, getting started at last on his cold pie. Catching the look on Daisy's face, Neville added quickly,

"But people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway. Besides I'll come for extra support"

"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"

"Throw it away and punch him on the nose," Ron suggested. Their laughter was cut off by a rather haughty "Excuse me." The three of them looked up. It was Dean Thomas.

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron.

Dean ignored him and spoke to Daisy.

"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying"

"Bet you could," Ron muttered.

"and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."

"And it's really none of your business," said Daisy, trying to ignore the flutters in her stomach caused by Dean caring enough about her actions to tell her off.

"Good-bye," said Neville.

All the same, it wasn't what you'd call the perfect end to the day, Daisy thought, as she lay awake much later listening to Lavender and Pavarti talking about some girly nonsense. Ron had spent all evening giving her advice such as "If he tries to curse you, you'd better dodge it, because I can't remember how to block them." There was a very good chance they were going to get caught by Filch or Mrs. Norris, and Daisy felt she was pushing her luck, breaking another school rule today. On the other hand, Malfoys sneering face kept looming up out of the darkness - this was her big chance to beat Malfoy face-to-face. She couldn't miss it.

Realising it was half past eleven Daisy slipped on her bathrobe, picked up her wand, crept across the room down the spiral staircase and into the Gryffindor common room. Daisy met Neville and Ron, the three of them were almost at the portrait hole when they a voice came from the foot of the boys stairs "I can't believe you're going to do this, Daisy."

A lamp flickered on. It was Dean Thomas, wearing a blue bathrobe and a frown.

"You!" said Ron furiously. "Go back to bed!"

"I almost told your brother," Dean snapped, "Percy - he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this."

Daisy couldn't believe anyone could be so interfering.

"Come on," she said to Ron and Neville. They pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and climbed through the hole.

Dean wasn't going to give up that easily. He followed them through the portrait hole, hissing like an angry goose.

"Don't you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves, I don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells."

"Go away," the three said in unison

"All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so"

But what they were, they didn't find out. Dean had turned to the portrait of the Fat Lady to get back inside and found himself facing an empty painting. The Fat Lady had gone on a nighttime visit and Dean was locked out of Gryffindor tower.

"Now what am I going to do?" he asked shrilly.

"That's your problem," said Ron. "We've got to go, we're going to be late."

They hadn't even reached the end of the corridor when Dean caught up with them.

"I'm coming with you," he said.

"You are not."

"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch me? Or worse the Bloody Baron, if Filch finds all four of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying to stop you, and you can back me up."

"You've got some nerve" said Ron loudly. Neville snorted.

"Shut up, all of you!" said Daisy sharply. "I heard something."

It was a sort of snuffling.

"Mrs. Norris?" breathed Neville, squinting through the dark.

But it wasn't Mrs. Norris-it was Peeves, he floated up to the quartet and with his smile that was almost exclusively reserved for Daisy said "Ah Miss Daisy out for a midnight stroll are we, or is it a midnight prank." Although no one else did Daisy couldn't help but trust Peeves

"No Peeves, we're off for a midnight duel."

"Shame" he said "I used to have such a time playing pranks with your father and his friends, speaking of which if you ever require my assistance in such matters just shout," he finished.

Neville, Ron and Dean seemed taken aback by the genuineness of this statement.

"Will do Peeves" and with that he floated away as the quartet flitted along corridors striped with bars of moonlight from the high windows. At every turn Daisy expected to run into Filch or Mrs. Norris, but they were lucky. They sped up a staircase to the third floor and tiptoed toward the trophy room.

Malfoy and Crabbe weren't there yet. The crystal trophy cases glimmered where the moonlight caught them. Cups, shields, plates, and statues winked silver and gold in the darkness. They edged along the walls, keeping their eyes on the doors at either end of the room. Daisy took out his wand in case Malfoy leapt in and started at once. The minutes crept by.

"He's late, maybe he's chickened out," Ron whispered.

Then a noise in the next room made them jump. Daisy had only just raised his wand when they heard someone speak -and it wasn't Malfoy.

"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."

It was Filch speaking to Mrs. Norris. Horror-struck, Daisy waved madly at the other three to follow her as quickly as possible; they scurried silently toward the door, away from Filch's voice. Dean had barely whipped round the corner when they heard Filch enter the trophy room.

"They're in here somewhere," they heard him mutter, "probably hiding."

"This way!" Daisy mouthed to the others and, petrified, they began to creep down a long gallery full of suits of armor. They could hear Filch getting nearer. Neville suddenly let out a frightened squeak and broke into a run -he tripped, grabbed Ron around the waist, and the pair of them toppled right into a suit of armor.

The clanging and crashing were enough to wake the whole castle.

"RUN!" Daisy yelled, and the four of them sprinted down the gallery, not looking back to see whether Filch was following - they swung around the doorpost and galloped down one corridor then another, Daisy in the lead, without any idea where they were or where they were going - they ripped through a tapestry and found themselves in a hidden passageway, yet still they heard footsteps behind them but were stopped when they reached the end of a corridor where they slammed into a door - and it was locked.

"This is it!" Ron moaned, as they pushed helplessly at the door, "We're done for! This is the end!" They could hear footsteps, Filch was still running as fast as he could, in their direction."Oh, move over," Dean snarled. He grabbed Daisy's wand, tapped the lock, and whispered, 'Alohomora!'

They heard footsteps and a purring outside the door, they all stood there frozen except for Neville who had been tugging on the sleeve of Daisy's bathrobe for the last minute. "What?"

Daisy turned around - and saw, quite clearly, what. For a moment, she was sure she'd walked into a nightmare - this was too much, on top of everything that had happened so far.

They weren't in a room, as she had supposed. They were in a corridor. The forbidden corridor on the third floor. And now they knew why it was forbidden.

They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes, three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction. Along with three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs.

It was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at them, and Daisy knew that the only reason they weren't already dead was that their sudden appearance had taken it by surprise, but it was quickly getting over that, there was no mistaking what those thunderous growls meant.

Daisy groped for the doorknob - between Filch and death, she'd take Filch.

They fell backward - Daisy slammed the door shut, and they ran, they almost flew, back down the corridor. Filch must have hurried off to look for them somewhere else, because they didn't see him anywhere, but they hardly cared - all they wanted to do was put as much space as possible between them and that monster. They didn't stop running until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor.

"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, looking at their bathrobes hanging off their shoulders and their flushed, sweaty faces.

"Never mind that - pig snout, pig snout," panted Daisy, and the portrait swung forward. They scrambled into the common room and collapsed, trembling, into armchairs.

It was a while before any of them said anything. Neville, indeed, looked as if he'd never speak again.

"Malfoy tricked you," Dean said to Daisy. "You realise that, don't you? He was never going to meet you - Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off." Daisy looked at him, bewildered.

"Yes I do realize that Dean" she said more curtly than intended "but at the moment I'm a little transfixed on the dog as opposed to Malfoy getting one over on me."

"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" added Ron. "If any dog needs exercise, that one does."

Dean had got both his breath and his bad temper back again. "You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" he snapped. "Didn't you see what it was standing on."

"The floor?" Daisy suggested. "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was too busy with its heads."

"No, not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something."

He stood up, glaring at them. "I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed - or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."

Ron stared after him, his mouth open.

"No, we don't mind," he said. "You'd think we dragged him along, wouldn't you."

But Dean had given Daisy something else to think about as she climbed back into bed. The dog was guarding something... What had Hagrid said? Gringotts was the safest place in the world for something you wanted to hide - except perhaps Hogwarts.

It seemed to Daisy that Hagrid's business that day was collecting the contents of vault seven hundred and thirteen and bringing it here. The only question, what was this contents? Pulling out a two way mirror she decided to recount the nights event to Sirius.


	8. The Mountain Troll

**HALLOWEEN**

Ever since Daisy was little her confidant had been Sirius. Whenever she got in trouble or did something bad he's who she'd run to. He'd give her advice, help her rectify the situation and most importantly even though he could play pretend tea with the best of them, he never treated Daisy like an imbecile or chastised her for her actions. That's why she was so taken aback when after recounting the tale of the midnight non-duel and the three-headed dog as well as her suspicions about what it was guarding Sirius blurted "Daisy, you dolt." Daisy nearly dropped the two way mirror

"What"

"Do you know how lucky you four are you got away unscathed, I know you weren't in that corridor on purpose but still"

"Yeah well I'm not planning on going back"

"Good" Sirius did sound relived "And as for what it may or may not be guarding that is also none of your concern."

"Sirius, do you know?" Sirius looked on the verge of telling her when the mirror was snatched out of his hands and in it appeared James "Bed time"

Malfoy couldn't believe his eyes when he saw that Daisy, Neville and Ron were still at Hogwarts the next day, looking tired but perfectly cheerful. Indeed, by the next morning the trio thought that meeting the three-headed dog had been an excellent adventure, and they were quite keen to have another one. In the meantime, Daisy filled Ron and Neville in about what Sirius had said, and they spent a lot of time wondering what could possibly need such heavy protection.

"It's either really valuable or really dangerous," said Ron.

"Or both," said Daisy.

But as all they knew for sure about the mysterious object was that it was about two inches long, they didn't have much chance of guessing what it was without further clues.

Dean didn't show the slightest interest in what lay underneath the dog and the trapdoor. And despite the thrill of adventure, Neville seemed fond of never going near the dog again. Daisy's best hope was trying to pry the information out of Sirius, or perhaps Hagrid.

Dean was now refusing to speak to Daisy, Neville or Ron, but he was such a bossy know-it-all that they saw this as an added bonus. All they really wanted now was a way of getting back at Malfoy, and to their great delight, just such a thing arrived in the mail about a week later.

As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by a long, thin package carried by six large screech owls. Daisy was just as interested as everyone else to see what was in this large parcel, but knew what it was when the owls dropped the package in front of her, knocking her bacon to the floor. They had hardly fluttered out of the way when Hedwig dropped a letter on top of the parcel, before picking at the bacon on the floor.

Daisy ripped open the letter first, which was lucky, because it said:

Dear Daisy,

McGonagall finally got Dumbledore to lift the rule, so as promised here is your beloved Nimbus 2000. Sirius was most miffed to see it go-he's been trying to talk me into letting him ride it nearly every night! I've written this next part in capitals because it's very important: DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE.

Minnie doesn't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock for your first training session.

Just wanted to reiterate how proud of you Sirius, Remus, Blake and I are and we'll see you at your first match.

Lots of love,

Dad

Daisy had difficulty hiding her glee as she handed the note to Ron and Neville to read. "A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron moaned enviously. "I've never even touched one." They left the hall quickly, wanting to unwrap the broomstick in private before their first class, but halfway across the entrance hall they found the way upstairs barred by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy seized the package from Daisy and felt it.

"That's a broomstick," he said, throwing it back to Daisy with a mixture of jealousy and spite on his face. "You'll be in for it this time, Potter, first years aren't allowed them."

Ron couldn't resist it.

"It's not any old broomstick," he said, "it's a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?" Ron grinned at Daisy. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus."

"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Malfoy snapped back. "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig."

Neville was about to step in, when Professor Flitwick appeared at Malfoy's elbow.

"Not arguing, I hope, boys and girl?" he squeaked.

"Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor," said Malfoy quickly.

"Yes, yes, that's right," said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Daisy. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?"

"A Nimbus Two Thousand, sir," said Daisy, fighting not to laugh at the look of horror on Malfoy's face. "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that I've got it," she added.

Daisy and Ron headed upstairs, smothering their laughter at Malfoy's obvious rage and confusion. "Well, it's true," Daisy chortled as they reached the top of the marble staircase, "If he hadn't stolen Neville's Remembrall I wouldn't be on the team"

"Well you're welcome" said Neville. Daisy just winked, she couldn't help but notice his growing confidence.

"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules?" came an angry voice from just behind them. Dean was stomping up the stairs, looking disapprovingly at the package in Daisy's hand.

"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" said Daisy.

"Yes, don't stop now," said Ron, "it's doing us so much good."

Dean marched away with his nose in the air.

Daisy had a lot of trouble keeping her mind on his lessons that day. It kept wandering up to the dormitory where her new broomstick was lying under her bed, or straying off to the Quidditch field where she'd be learning to play that night. She bolted her dinner that evening without noticing what she was eating, and then rushed upstairs with Ron and Neville to unwrap the Nimbus Two Thousand at last.

"Wow," Ron sighed, as the broomstick rolled onto his bedspread. As boys couldn't get up the girls staircase, they'd opened it in the boy's dormitory."

Daisy had forgotten just how magnificent it was. Sleek and shiny, with a mahogany handle, it had a long tail of neat, straight twigs and Nimbus Two Thousand written in gold near the top.

As seven o'clock drew nearer, Daisy left the castle and set off in the dusk toward the Quidditch field. Too eager to fly again to wait for Wood, Daisy mounted her broomstick and kicked off from the ground. What a feeling - she swooped in and out of the goal posts and then sped up and down the field. The Nimbus Two Thousand turned wherever she wanted at her lightest touch.

"Hey, Potter, come down!"

Oliver Wood had arrived, he was carrying a large wooden crate under his arm. Daisy landed next to him.

"Very nice," said Wood, his eyes glinting. "I see what McGonagall meant... you really are a natural. I'm just going to run over the rules this evening, sort of an introduction thing, and then you'll be joining team practice three times a week."

He opened the crate. Inside were four different-sized balls.

"Right," said Wood. "Now, Quidditch is easy enough to understand, even if it's not too easy to play. There are seven players on each side. Three of them are called Chasers." Daisy knew all this, Quidditch was one of the few aspects of the wizard world that had played a major role in her life. In fact her father had played chaser for Gryffindor at school, but Wood was so enthused Daisy went along with it.

"Three Chasers," Daisy repeated, as Wood took out a bright red ball about the size of a soccer ball.

"This ball's called the Quaffle," said Wood. "The Chasers throw the Quaffle to each other and try and get it through one of the hoops to score a goal. Ten points every time the Quaffle goes through one of the hoops."

"The Chasers throw the Quaffle and put it through the hoops to score," Daisy recited. "Like basketball on broomsticks"

"What's basketball?" said Wood curiously.  
"Never mind," said Daisy quickly.

"Now, there's another player on each side who's called the Keeper -I'm Keeper for Gryffindor. I have to fly around our hoops and stop the other team from scoring."

"Three Chasers, one Keeper," said Daisy, "and they play with the Quaffle."

"Now for the balls, I'm going to show you what the Bludgers do," Wood said. "These two are the Bludgers." He handed Daisy a bat.

He showed Daisy two identical balls, jet black and slightly smaller than the red Quaffle. Daisy noticed that they seemed to be straining to escape the straps holding them inside the box.

"Stand back," Wood warned Daisy. He bent down and freed one of the Bludgers.

At once, the black ball rose high in the air and then pelted straight at Daisy's face. Daisy swung at it with the bat to stop it from breaking her nose, and sent it zigzagging away into the air - it zoomed around their heads and then shot at Wood, who dived on top of it and managed to pin it to the ground.

"See?" Wood panted, forcing the struggling Bludger back into the crate and strapping it down safely. "The Bludgers rocket around, trying to knock players off their brooms. That's why you have two Beaters on each team - the Weasley twins are ours - it's their job to protect their side from the Bludgers and try and knock them toward the other team. Any questions?"

"Er - have the Bludgers ever killed anyone?" Daisy asked, hoping she sounded offhand.

"Never at Hogwarts. We've had a couple of broken jaws but nothing worse than that. Now, the last member of the team is the Seeker. That's you."

"And I don't have to worry about the Quaffle or the Bludgers unless they crack my head open." Daisy didn't even try to contain her nervousness.

"Don't worry, the Weasleys are more than a match for the Bludgers - I mean, they're like a pair of human Bludgers themselves."

Wood reached into the crate and took out the fourth and last ball. Compared with the Quaffle and the Bludgers, it was tiny, about the size of a large walnut. It was bright gold and had little fluttering silver wings. Upon seeing it Daisy had a flash of running around Sirius' apartment after one.

"This," said Wood, "is the Golden Snitch, and it's the most important ball of the lot. It's very hard to catch because it's so fast and difficult to see. It's the Seeker's job to catch it. You've got to weave in and out of the Chasers, Beaters, Bludgers, and Quaffle to get it before the other team's Seeker, because whichever Seeker catches the Snitch wins their team an extra hundred and fifty points, so they nearly always win. That's why Seekers get fouled so much. A game of Quidditch only ends when the Snitch is caught, so it can go on for ages - I think the record is three months, they had to keep bringing on substitutes so the players could get some sleep. Well, that's it - any questions?"

Daisy shook her head. She understood what she had to do all right; it was doing it that was going to be the problem. And the thought of a three month long match was so astounding she couldn't think of anything else.

"We won't practice with the Snitch yet," said Wood, carefully shutting it back inside the crate, "it's too dark, we might lose it. Let's try you out with a few of these."

He pulled a bag of ordinary golf balls out of his pocket and a few minutes later, he and Daisy were up in the air, Wood throwing the golf balls as hard as he could in every direction for Daisy to catch.

Daisy didn't miss a single one, and Wood was delighted. After half an hour, night had really fallen and they couldn't carry on.

"That Quidditch cup'll have our name on it this year," said Wood happily as they trudged back up to the castle. "I wouldn't be surprised if you turn out better than Charlie Weasley, and he could have played for England if he hadn't gone off chasing dragons."

Perhaps it was because she was now so busy, what with Quidditch practice three evenings a week on top of all her homework, but Daisy could hardly believe it when she realized thats he'd already been at Hogwarts two months. Sirius was right time flew by; especially now that they had mastered the basics, her lessons were becoming more interesting. However Daisy still spoke with at least one of the Marauders or Blake daily and although she loved Hogwarts, she was looking forward to seeing them again.

Daisy was not however particularly looking forward to Halloween; even if it was in a magic castle. Growing up she had always gone trick or treating with Sirius. She always got a good stash but Sirius hitting on as many mothers as possible really marred it. It had only been recently that Daisy learnt why her father was so downcast on Halloween. Halloween 1984 was the night that her mother and brother were murdered. But this Voldemort had taken away enough of her life, she was going to try and not let him take Halloween. And, as expected, Hogwarts on Halloween did not disappoint. On Halloween morning they woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors. Even better, Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to try since they'd seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom. Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. Daisy's was partnered with Seamus Finnigan. She didn't know him very well but didn't complain when she saw that Ron was to be working with Dean Thomas. It was hard to tell whether Ron or Dean was angrier about this. Dean hadn't spoken to Daisy, Ron or Neville since the day Daisy's broomstick had arrived.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too - never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

It was surprisingly difficult. Daisy and Seamus swished and flicked, but the feather they were supposed to be sending skyward just lay on the desktop. Seamus got so impatient that he prodded it with his wand and set fire to it - Daisy had to put it out with her hat.

Ron, at the next table, wasn't having much more luck.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.

"You're saying it wrong," Daisy heard Dean snap. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.

Dean rolled up the sleeves of his robes, flicked his wand, and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Mr. Thomas's done it!"

Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of the class. "It's no wonder no one can stand him," he said to Daisy and Neville as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor, "he's a nightmare, honestly." Someone knocked into Daisy as they hurried past her. It was Dean. Daisy caught a glimpse of his face - and was startled to see that he was in tears.

"I think he heard you."

"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "He must've noticed he's got no friends."

Dean didn't turn up for the next class and wasn't seen all afternoon. On their way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, Daisy, Neville and Ron overheard Seamus Finnigan telling Parvati Patil and Lavender that Dean was crying in the boys' bathroom and wanted to be left alone. Ron looked still more awkward at this, but a moment later they had entered the Great Hall, where the Halloween decorations put Dean out of their minds.

A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter. The feast appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet.

Daisy was wondering what the Marauders would be up to. She wondered what Sirius would do this year, since he didn't have an excuse to go trick or treating-given that there was no one to take. She knew that her father would be festering in despair and self-pity whilst she relished in this, Daisy was halfway through eating when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, "Troll - in the dungeons - thought you ought to know."

He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.

There was uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.

"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

Percy sprung to action. HE WAS IN HIS ELEMENT.

"Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"

"How could a troll get in?" Daisy asked as they climbed the stairs.

"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid," said Ron.

"Maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke," suggested Neville.

They passed different groups of people hurrying in different directions. As they jostled their way through a crowd of confused Hufflepuffs, Daisy suddenly grabbed Ron and Neville's arms.

"I've just thought - Dean."

"What about him?"

"He doesn't know about the troll."

Ron bit his lip.

"Oh, all right," he snapped. "But Percy'd better not see us."

Ducking down, they joined the Hufflepuffs going the other way, slipped down a deserted side corridor, and hurried off toward the boys' bathroom. They had just turned the corner when they heard quick footsteps behind them.

"Percy!" hissed Neville, pulling Daisy and Ron behind a large stone griffin.

Peering around it, however, they saw not Percy but Snape. He crossed the corridor and disappeared from view.

"What's he doing?" Daisy whispered. "Why isn't he down in the dungeons with the rest of the teachers?"

"Search me."

Quietly as possible, they crept along the next corridor after Snape's fading footsteps.

"He's heading for the third floor," Daisy said, but Neville held up his hand.

"Can you smell something?"

Daisy sniffed and a foul stench reached her nostrils, a mixture of old socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean.

And then they heard it - a low grunting, and the shuffling footfalls of gigantic feet. Ron pointed - at the end of a passage to the left, something huge was moving toward them. They shrank into the shadows and watched as it emerged into a patch of moonlight. It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was dull, granite gray, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long.

The troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside. It waggled its long ears, making up its tiny mind, then slouched slowly into the room.

"The keys in the lock," Daisy muttered. "We could lock it in."

"Good idea," said Ron nervously.

They edged toward the open door, mouths dry, praying the troll wasn't about to come out of it. With one great leap, Daisy managed to grab the key, slam the door, and lock it.

"Yes!"

Flushed with their victory, they started to run back up the passage, but as they reached the corner they heard something that made their hearts stop - a high, petrified scream - and it was coming from the chamber they'd just chained up.

"Oh, no," said Ron, pale as the Bloody Baron. Neville looked green.

"It's the boys' bathroom!" Daisy gasped.

"Dean!" they all said together.

It was the last thing they wanted to do, but what choice did they have? Wheeling around, they sprinted back to the door and turned the key, fumbling in their panic. Daisy pulled the door open and they ran inside.

Dean Thomas was shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if he was about to faint. The troll was advancing on him, knocking the sinks off the walls as it went.

"Confuse it!" Daisy said desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, he threw it as hard as he could against the wall.

The troll stopped a few feet from Dean. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Daisy. It hesitated, then made for her instead, lifting its club as it went.

"Oy, pea-brain!" yelled Neville from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning its ugly snout toward Ron and Neville instead, giving Daisy time to run around it.

"Come on, run, run!" Daisy yelled at Dean, trying to pull him toward the door, but he couldn't move, he was still flat against the wall, his mouth open with terror.

The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started toward Ron and Neville, who were nearest and had no way to escape.

Daisy then did one of the bravest and (as most brave things are) most incredibly stupid thing she'd ever done. She took a great running jump and managed to fasten her arms

around the troll's neck from behind. The troll couldn't feel Daisy hanging there, but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and Daisy's wand had still been in her hand when she'd jumped - it had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils.

Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Daisy clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip her off or catch her a terrible blow with the club.

Dean had sunk to the floor in fright; Neville stood there transfixed with horror; Ron pulled out his own wand - not knowing what he was going to do he heard himself cry the first spell that came into his head: "Wingardium Leviosa!"

The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over - and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.

Daisy got to her feet. She was shaking and out of breath. Ron was standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done.

It was Dean who spoke first.

"Is it - dead?"

"I don't think so," said Daisy, "I think it's just been knocked out."

She bent down and pulled her wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy gray glue.

"Urgh - troll boogers." Neville finally came back to life and ran over with a wad of paper towels, helping Daisy clean her wand.

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the four of them look up. They hadn't realised what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart.

Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron, Neville and Daisy. Daisy had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were white. Hopes of winning fifty points for Gryffindor faded quickly from Daisy's mind.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice. Daisy looked at Ron, who was still standing with his wand in the air. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

Snape gave Daisy a swift, piercing look. Daisy looked at the floor. She wished Ron would put his wand down.

Then a small voice came out of the shadows.

"Please, Professor McGonagall - they were looking for me."

"Mr. Thomas!"

Dean had managed to get to his feet at last. "I went looking for the troll because I - I thought I could deal with it on my own - you know, because I've read all about them."

Ron dropped his wand. Dean Thomas, telling a downright lie to a teacher? "If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Neville distracted it by throwing a pipe at it, before Daisy stuck her wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived."

Daisy, Neville and Ron tried to look as though this story wasn't new to them.

"Well - in that case" said Professor McGonagall, staring at the three of them, "Mr. Thomas, you foolish boy, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Dean hung his head. Daisy was speechless. Dean was the last person to do anything against the rules, and here he was, pretending he had, to get them out of trouble. It was as if Snape had started handing out sweets.

"Mr. Thomas, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Dean left.

Professor McGonagall turned to Daisy, Neville and Ron.

"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go."

They hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak at all until they had climbed two floors up. It was a relief to be away from the smell of the troll, quite apart from anything else.

"We should have gotten more than fifteen points," Ron grumbled.

"Ten, you mean, once she's taken off Dean's."

"Good of him to get us out of trouble like that," Ron admitted.

"Mind you, we did save him," added Neville.

"He might not have needed saving if we hadn't locked the thing in with him," Daisy reminded him. "Or made him cry" Rod admitted guiltily.

They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Pig snout," they said and entered.

The common room was packed and noisy. Everyone was eating the food that had been sent up. Dean, however, stood alone by the door, waiting for them. There was a very embarrassed pause. Then, none of them looking at each other, they all said "Thanks," and hurried off to get plates.

But from that moment on, Dean Thomas became their friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.


	9. Quidditch

**QUIDDITCH**

After Sirius' reaction to her accidental run in with the three headed-dog Daisy decided to save the story of how she purposely went after the troll until a later date. Preferably when James, Sirius and Remus were all drunk and would find it an outstanding display of creativity and bravery as opposed to an almost fatal one of foolishness. Thanks to Quidditch she had plenty to keep them busy with in letters and when they chatted with the mirror. Daisy looked forward to Saturday; this was the first match of the Quidditch season and Daisy's life, Gryffindor vs Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the house championship. James, Sirius and Remus were coming up specially to watch her play. Blake had wanted to come but he'd be off doing Auror training.

Hardly anyone had seen Daisy play because Wood had decided that, as their secret weapon, Daisy should be kept, well, secret. But the news that she was playing Seeker had leaked out somehow, and Daisy didn't know which was worse - people telling her she'd be brilliant or people telling her they'd be running around underneath her holding a mattress.

It was really lucky that Daisy now had Dean as a friend. She didn't know how she'd have gotten through all her homework without him, what with all the last-minute Quidditch practice Wood was making them do. He had also lent her Quidditch Through the Ages, which turned out to be a very interesting read.

Daisy learned that there were seven hundred ways of committing a Quidditch foul and that all of them had happened during a World Cup match in 1473; that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest players, and that most serious Quidditch accidents seemed to happen to them; that although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert.

Dean had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since Daisy, Neville and Ron had saved him from the mountain troll, and he was much nicer for it. The day before Daisy's first Quidditch match the four of them were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and he had conjured them up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar. They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape crossed the yard. Daisy noticed at once that Snape was limping. Daisy, Ron, Neville and Dean moved closer together to block the fire from view; they were sure it wouldn't be allowed. Unfortunately, something about their guilty faces caught Snape's eye. He limped over. He hadn't seen the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway.

"What's that you've got there, Miss Potter?"

It was Quidditch Through the Ages. Daisy showed him.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

"He's just made that rule up," Daisy muttered angrily as Snape limped away. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly.

The Gryffindor common room was very noisy that evening. Daisy, Ron, Neville and Dean sat together next to a window. Dean was checking Daisy, Neville and Ron's Charms homework for them. He would never let them copy ("How will you learn?"), but by asking him to read it through, they got the right answers anyway.

Daisy felt restless. She wanted Quidditch Through the Ages back, to take her mind off her nerves about tomorrow. Why should she be afraid of Snape? Getting up, she told Ron, Neville and Dean she was going to ask Snape if she could have it.

"Better you than me," they said together, but Daisy had an idea that Snape wouldn't refuse if there were other teachers listening.

She made her way down to the staffroom and knocked. There was no answer. She knocked again. Nothing.

Perhaps Snape had left the book in there? It was worth a try. She pushed the door ajar and peered inside - and a horrible scene met her eyes.

Snape and Filch were inside, alone. Snape was holding his robes above his knees. One of his legs was bloody and mangled. Filch was handing Snape bandages.

"Blasted thing," Snape was saying. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"

Daisy tried to shut the door quietly, but -

"POTTER!"

Snape's face was twisted with fury as he dropped his robes quickly to hide his leg. Daisy gulped.

"I just wondered if I could have my book back."

"GET OUT! OUT!"

Daisy left, before Snape could take any more points from Gryffindor. She sprinted back upstairs.

"Did you get it?" Ron asked as Daisy joined them. "What's the matter?"

In a low whisper, Daisy told them what she'd seen.

"You know what this means?" she finished breathlessly. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him - he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick he let that troll in, to make a diversion!"

Dean's eyes were wide.

"No - he wouldn't," he said. "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."

"Honestly, Dean, you think all teachers are saints or something," snapped Ron. "I'm with Daisy."

"I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?" added Neville thoughtfully.

Daisy went to bed with her head buzzing with the same question. She tried to empty her mind - she needed to sleep, she had to, she had her first Quidditch match in a few hours - but the expression on Snape's face when Daisy had seen his leg wasn't easy to forget.

The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.

"You've got to eat some breakfast," urged Neville.

"I don't want anything."

"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Dean.

"I'm not hungry."

Daisy felt terrible. In an hour's time she'd be walking onto the field.

"Daisy, you need your strength," said Ron. "Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."

"Thanks, Ron," said Daisy, watching Ron pile ketchup on his sausages.

"He's right you know" said a voice in Daisy's ear. She spun around to see her father, flanked by Sirius, Remus and Professor McGonagall. She stood up and hugged the men before McGonagall said brightly "Ready for the match Miss Potter, Severus really will be unbearable if Slytherin beats us again today."

"Oh don't worry Minnie, she was born ready" Sirius said smoothly before cheekily pinching Professor McGonagall's bottom. You had to admire his nerve. Professor McGonagall leapt up, turned bright red and whacked him with a copy of The Daily Prophet "You're not too old for a caning you know"

"Oh Minnie, if only you were still allowed to hand them out…officially." Ron, Neville, Daisy, Dean, James and Remus all clamped their hands over their mouths as McGonagall gave Sirius one last whack before stalking off. Though Daisy swore she saw a little smile on her face. "You really are shameless mate" exclaimed an exasperated Remus before Daisy introduced the Marauders to her three friends. They sat around chatting until Oliver Wood found her and said it was time to go down to the pitch. With a last round of 'good lucks' Daisy walked down to the pitch with her teammates.

By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.

Ron, Dean, Neville, James, Sirius and Remus joined Hagrid up in the top row of the Gryffindor section. As a surprise for Daisy, her three friends had painted a large banner on one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined. It said Potter for President, and Dean, who was also good at drawing, had done a large Gryffindor lion underneath. James finished it off by performing a tricky little charm so that the paint flashed different colors.

Meanwhile, in the locker room, Daisy and the rest of the team were changing into their scarlet Quidditch robes (Slytherin would be playing in green).

Wood cleared his throat for silence.

"Okay, men," he said.

"And women," said Chaser Angelina Johnson.

"And women," Wood agreed. "This is it."

"The big one," said Fred Weasley.

"The one we've all been waiting for," said George.

"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred told Daisy, "we were on the team last year."

"Shut up, you two," said Wood. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to win. I know it."

He glared at them all as if to say, "Or else."

"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."

Daisy followed Fred and George out of the locker room and, hoping her knees weren't going to give way, walked onto the field to loud cheers.

Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand.

"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, once they were all gathered around her. Daisy noticed that she seemed to be speaking particularly to the Slytherin Captain, Marcus Flint, a sixth year. Daisy thought Flint looked as if he had some troll blood in him. Out of the corner of his eye she saw the fluttering banner high above, flashing Potter for President over the crowd. Her heart skipped at the embarrassment; though she did feel braver. And loved.

"Mount your brooms, please."

Daisy clambered onto her Nimbus Two Thousand.

Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle.

Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off. "And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor - what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Professor McGonagall. Daisy couldn't help but think he was a Sirius in the making. This assumption (which may be inaccurate) immediately endeared the boy to her.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve - back to Johnson and - no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes - Flint flying like an eagle up there - he's going to sc- no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle - that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and - OUCH - that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger - Quaffle taken by the Slytherins - that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger - sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which - nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes - she's really flying - dodges a speeding Bludger - the goal posts are ahead - come on, now, Angelina - Keeper Bletchley dives - misses - GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.

"No one's spotted the snitch yet then" Sirius asked generally

"Nope," said Ron. "Daisy hasn't had much to do yet."

"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," said Hagrid, raising his binoculars and peering skyward at the speck that was Daisy. The Marauders looked quizzically at Hagrid after that last statement; perhaps Daisy had been having more adventures than she'd been saying. "No" Sirius declared "she tells me everything" but this statement did anything but alleviate everyone's worries.

Way up above them, Daisy was gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch. This was part of her and Wood's game plan. "Keep out of the way until you catch sight of the Snitch," Wood had said. "We don't want you attacked before you have to be."

When Angelina had scored, Daisy had done a couple of loop-the-loops to let off her feelings. Now she was back to staring around for the Snitch. Once she caught sight of a flash of gold, but it was just a reflection from one of the Weasleys' wristwatches, and once a Bludger decided to come pelting her way, more like a cannonball than anything, but Daisy dodged it and Fred Weasley came chasing after it.

"All right there, Daisy?" he had time to yell, as he beat the Bludger furiously toward Marcus Flint.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the - wait a moment - was that the Snitch?"

A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.

Daisy saw it. In a great rush of excitements she dived downward after the streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch -all the Chasers seemed to have forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair to watch.

Daisy was faster than Higgs - she could see the little round ball, wings fluttering, darting up ahead - - she put on an extra spurt of speed -

WHAM! A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below - Marcus Flint had blocked Daisy on purpose, and Daisy's broom spun off course, Daisy holding on for dear life.

"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors.

Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.

Down in the stands, Dean was yelling, "Send him off, ref! Red card!"

"What are you talking about, Dean?" said Ron.

"Red card!" said Dean furiously. "In soccer you get shown the red card and you're out of the game!"

"But this isn't soccer, Dean," Ron reminded him.

Hagrid, however, was on Dean's side.

"They oughta change the rules. Flint coulda knocked Daisy outta the air."

The Marauders were just trying to catch their breath while Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides.

"So - after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating"

"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul"

"Jordan, I'm warning you"

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinner, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

It was as Daisy dodged another Bludger, which went spinning dangerously past her head that it happened. Her broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. For a split second, she thought she was going to fall. She gripped the broom tightly with both her hands and knees. She'd never felt anything like that.

It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck her off. But Nimbus Two Thousands did not suddenly decide to buck their riders off. Daisy tried to turn back toward the Gryffindor goal- posts - she had half a mind to ask Wood to call time-out - and then she realised that her broom was completely out of her control. She couldn't turn it. She couldn't direct it at all. It was zigzagging through the air, and every now and then making violent swishing movements that almost unseated her.

Lee was still commentating.

"Slytherin in possession - Flint with the Quaffle - passes Spinnet - passes Bell - hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose - only joking, Professor - Slytherins score - A no"

The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Daisy's broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying her slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.

"Dunno what Daisy thinks she's doing," Hagrid mumbled. He stared through his binoculars. "If I didn' know better, I'd say she'd lost control of her broom... but she can't have."

Suddenly, people were pointing up at Daisy all over the stands. Her broom had started to roll over and over, with her only just managing to hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped. Daisy's broom had given a wild jerk and Daisy swung off it. She was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand. The Marauders had whipped their wands out-though not even they were sure what they were planning on doing.

"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked her?" Neville whispered.

"Can't have," Remus answered this time, his voice shaking. "The only thing that could affect a broomstick like that is powerful Dark Magic-something way beyond the realm of a student."

At these words, Dean seized Hagrid's binoculars, but instead of looking up at Daisy, he started looking frantically at the crowd.

"What are you doing?" moaned Ron, gray-faced.

"I knew it," Dean gasped, "Snape - look."

Ron and Neville grabbed their binoculars. Snape was in the middle of the stands opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on Daisy and was muttering nonstop under his breath.

"He's doing something - jinxing the broom," said Dean.

"What should we do?"

"Leave it to me."

Before Ron or Neville could say another word, Dean had disappeared. They turned their binoculars back on Daisy. Her broom was vibrating so hard, it was almost impossible for her to hang on much longer. The whole crowd was on its feet, watching, terrified, as the Weasleys flew up to try and pull Daisy safely onto one of their brooms, but it was no good - every time they got near her, the broom would jump higher still. They dropped lower and circled beneath her, obviously hoping to catch her if she fell. Marcus Flint seized the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone noticing.

"Come on, Dean," Ron muttered desperately.

Dean had fought his way across to the stand where Snape stood, and was now racing along the row behind him; he didn't even stop to say sorry as he knocked Professor Quirrell headfirst into the row in front. Reaching Snape, he crouched down, pulled out his wand, and whispered a few, well- chosen words. Bright blue flames shot from his wand onto the hem of Snape's robes.

It took perhaps thirty seconds for Snape to realise that he was on fire. A sudden yelp told him he had done his job. Scooping the fire off him into a little jar in his pocket, Dean scrambled back along the row - Snape would never know what had happened.

It was enough. Up in the air, Daisy was suddenly able to clamber back on to her broom.

"Neville, you can look!" Ron said. Neville had begun sobbing into Hagrid's jacket.

Daisy was speeding toward the ground when the crowd saw her clap her hand to her mouth as though she was about to be sick - she hit the field on all fours - coughed - and something gold fell into her hand.

"I've got the Snitch!" she shouted, waving it above her head, and the game ended in complete confusion.

"She didn't catch it, she nearly swallowed it," Flint was still howling twenty minutes later, but it made no difference - Daisy hadn't broken any rules and Lee Jordan was still happily shouting the results - Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty. Daisy heard none of this, though. She was being made a cup of strong tea back in Hagrid's hut, with James, Sirius, Remus, Ron, Neville and Dean.

"It was Snape," Ron was explaining, "Dean, Neville and I saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid, he hadn't heard a word of what had gone on next to them in the stands. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"

Daisy, Neville, Ron and Dean looked at one another, wondering what to say. Daisy decided on the truth.

"I found out something about him," she told Hagrid. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."

Hagrid dropped the teapot. This seemed to awaken the Marauders out of a trance they'd been in since Daisy landed.

"How do you know about Fluffy?" he said.

"Fluffy?"

"Yeah - he's mine - bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year - I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the"

"Yes?" said Daisy eagerly, immediately realising this interjection had pushed it too far.

"Now, don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."

"But Snape's trying to steal it."

"Daisy" said Sirius warningly, he'd already asked her to leave this alone.

"Rubbish," said Hagrid again. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort."

"So why did he just try and kill Daisy?" cried Dean.

The afternoon's events certainly seemed to have changed his mind about Snape.

"I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "I don' know why Daisy's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all three of yeh - yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel"

Sirius, James and Remus all groaned; Hagrid looked furious with himself; Daisy, Dean, Neville and Ron were trying to rack their brains, seeing if they could remember a Nicolas Flamel.

They all sat around like this until it was time for dinner. The grown-ups were becoming increasingly rowdy. Daisy finally realised it was because Hagrid had put fire-whiskey in their tea. James begun singing 'Do the Hippogriff' by the Weird Sisters and Daisy took this as the queue to go to dinner, before Sirius started dancing along. After the chaos of the quidditch match the Marauders forgot to ask Daisy if she'd been getting up to anything without telling them. Daisy decided that although they were sufficiently drunk she'd save the mountain troll story for a day when she hadn't had a near death experience.

She gave all the men a goodbye hug, which included a big kiss on her cheek from Sirius, as he slurred the sentence "See you at Christmas, baby girl." Had everyone not been so rowdy they might've noticed the smile on Dean's face falter at the mention of going home.


	10. The Mirror of Erised

**THE MIRROR OF ERISED**

Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again.

No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Gryffindor common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and a bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worst of all were Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept as close as possible to their hot cauldrons.

Despite the weather everyone had been complementing Daisy on how impressive her staying on her bucking broomstick had been. All except Malfoy who increasing jealous and angry of Daisy flat out ignored her. Daisy wasn't complaining. She would also be returning home soon for another Christmas with the Marauder's – along with Dean. This development had occurred the week prior when McGonagall went around making a list of students who were staying at Hogwarts, Dean immediately signed up. Surprised Daisy asked him why he wasn't going home. Dean had confided that since he was a baby he had been raised by his aunt and uncle-who despised him.

Daisy finally realised why Dean had been so affected by what he'd heard on Halloween-and why he had such a know-it-all attitude. He really had been all alone all his life and he'd tried to gain friends and get ahead using his intellectual prowess.

Angered by this Daisy ran to her room and two-way mirrored James. She explained the situation and James agreed that Dean would be welcome to stay with them. Dean was overwhelmed by this generosity and after some coaxing (he didn't want to impose) accepted. He was extremely grateful. Ron and his family were going to Romania to visit his brother Charlie and Neville was going to his family, so Dean would've been all alone.

They arrived in the hall for lunch, the day before the holidays and stopped dead. The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles. They saw Hagrid helping with the trees whilst Professor Flitwick, had golden bubbles blossoming out of his wand and was trailing them over the branches of the new tree.

Dean suggested that since there was still half an hour before lunch the four of them go back to the library, they had been desperately searching for information on Flamel ever since Hagrid let it slip. How else were they going to find out what Snape was trying to steal? The trouble was, it was very hard to know where to begin, not knowing what Flamel might have done to get himself into a book. He wasn't in Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, or Notable Magical Names of Our Time; he was missing, too, from Important Modern Magical Discoveries, and A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry. And then, of course, there was the sheer size of the library; tens of thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows.

Dean took out a list of subjects and titles he had decided to search while Ron strode off down a row of books and started pulling them off the shelves at random. Daisy wandered over to the Restricted Section. She had been wondering for a while if Flamel wasn't somewhere in there. Unfortunately, you needed a specially signed note from one of the teachers to look in any of the restricted books, and she knew she'd never get one. These were the books containing powerful Dark Magic never taught at Hogwarts, and only read by older students studying advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"What are you looking for, girl?"

"Nothing," said Dasiy. Madam Pince the librarian brandished a feather duster at her.

"You'd better get out, then. Go on - out!" Daisy wished she was as smooth and fast at thinking up a lie like Sirius as she left the library.

She, Dean, Neville and Ron agreed they'd better not ask Madam Pince where they could find Flamel. They were sure she'd be able to tell them, but they couldn't risk Snape hearing what they were up to.

Daisy waited outside in the corridor to see if the other three had found anything, but she wasn't very hopeful. They had been looking for two weeks, after all, but as they only had odd moments between lessons it wasn't surprising they'd found nothing. What they really needed was a nice long search without Madam Pince breathing down their necks.

Five minutes later, Ron, Neville and Dean joined her, shaking their heads. They went off to lunch.

"I'm sure they know but I can't risk asking Sirius, Remus and Dad about Flamel" Daisy started "But Ron and Neville maybe you guys could ask your parents?"  
They both nodded in agreement.

That night Daisy went up to bed to start packing her trunk, whilst her dorm mates were still in the common room, when she noticed a parcel on her bed. She picked it up and felt it. It was very light. She unwrapped it. Something fluid and silvery gray went slithering to the floor where it lay in gleaming folds. Before examining it further she saw a note had fallen out of it.

Written in narrow, loopy writing she had never seen before were the following words: Your father left this in my possession many years ago. I have finally run out of uses for it and feel that it should be returned. You could always give it to your father or tell him about it, but I feel that perhaps if he doesn't know you'll be able to put it to better use.

A Very Merry Christmas to you.

P.S It is a cloak of invisibility

There was no signature. Daisy stared at the note. Before she could say or think anything else, the dormitory door was flung open and Parvarti and Lavender walked in. Not ready to share this with anyone Daisy stuffed the cloak in her trunk.

Later that night after everyone else was asleep Daisy decided to try this mysterious cloak. She slipped out of bed and wrapped the cloak around herself. Looking down at her legs, she saw only moonlight and shadows. It was a very funny feeling.

Put it to better use.

Suddenly, Daisy felt wide-awake. The whole of Hogwarts was open to her in this cloak. Excitement flooded through her as she stood there in the dark and silence. She could go anywhere in this, anywhere, and Filch would never know.

She crept out of the dormitory, down the stairs, across the common room, and climbed through the portrait hole.

"Who's there?" squawked the Fat Lady. Daisy said nothing. She walked quickly down the corridor.

Where should she go? She stopped, her heart racing, and thought. And then it came to her. The Restricted Section in the library. She'd be able to read as long as she liked, as long as it took to find out who Flamel was. She set off, drawing the invisibility cloak tight around her as she walked.

The library was pitch-black and very eerie. Daisy lit a lamp to see her way along the rows of books. The lamp looked as if it was floating along in midair, and even though Daisy could feel her arm supporting it, the sight gave her the creeps.

The Restricted Section was right at the back of the library. Stepping carefully over the rope that separated these books from the rest of the library, she held up her lamp to read the titles.

They didn't tell her much. Their peeling faded gold letters spelled words in languages Daisy couldn't understand. Some had no title at all. One book had a dark stain on it that looked horribly like blood. The hairs on the back of Daisy's neck prickled. Maybe she was imagining it, maybe not, but she thought a faint whispering was coming from the books, as though they knew someone was there who shouldn't be.

She had to start somewhere. Setting the lamp down carefully on the floor, she looked along the bottom shelf for an interesting looking book. A large black and silver volume caught her eye. She pulled it out with difficulty, because it was very heavy, and, balancing it on her knee, let it fall open.

A piercing, bloodcurdling shriek split the silence - the book was screaming! Daisy snapped it shut, but the shriek went on and on, one high, unbroken, earsplitting note. She stumbled backward and knocked over her lamp, which went out at once. Panicking, she heard footsteps coming down the corridor outside - stuffing the shrieking book back on the shelf, she ran for it. She passed Filch in the doorway; Filch's pale, wild eyes looked straight through her, and Daisy slipped under Filch's outstretched arm and streaked off up the corridor, the book's shrieks still ringing in her ears.

She came to a sudden halt in front of a tall suit of armor. She had been so busy getting away from the library, she hadn't paid attention to where she was going. Perhaps because it was dark, she didn't recognize where she was at all. There was a suit of armor near the kitchens, she knew, but she must be five floors above there.

"You asked me to come directly to you, Professor, if anyone was wandering around at night, and somebody's been in the library Restricted Section."

Daisy felt the blood drain out of her face. Wherever she was, Filch must know a shortcut, because his soft, greasy voice was getting nearer, and to her horror, it was Snape who replied, "The Restricted Section? Well, they can't be far, we'll catch them."

Daisy stood rooted to the spot as Filch and Snape came around the corner ahead. They couldn't see her, of course, but it was a narrow corridor and if they came much nearer they'd knock right into her - the cloak didn't stop her from being solid.

She backed away as quietly as she could. A door stood ajar to her left. It was her only hope. She squeezed through it, holding her breath, trying not to move it, and to her relief she managed to get inside the room without their noticing anything. They walked straight past, and Daisy leaned against the wall, breathing deeply, listening to their footsteps dying away. That had been close, very close. It was a few seconds before she noticed anything about the room she had hidden in.

It looked like an unused classroom. The dark shapes of desks and chairs were piled against the walls, and there was an upturned wastepaper basket - but propped against the wall facing her was something that didn't look as if it belonged there, something that looked as if someone had just put it there to keep it out of the way.

It was a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. Her panic fading now that there was no sound of Filch and Snape, Daisy moved nearer to the mirror, wanting to look at herself but see no reflection again. She stepped in front of it.

She had to clap her hands to her mouth to stop herself from screaming. She whirled around. Her heart was pounding far more furiously than when the book had screamed - for she had seen not only herself in the mirror, but the two people she missed more than anything standing beside her.

She looked to her left and right but the room was empty. Breathing very fast, she turned slowly back to the mirror.

There she was, reflected in it, white and scared-looking, and there, reflected next to her were two others. Was she in fact in a room full of invisible people and this mirror's trick was that it reflected them, invisible or not? No, no this was too cruel-Daisy knew these people were dead. She knew she should walk away but she stayed rooted there. On the left was her mother, smiling and waving.

She was a very pretty woman. She had dark red hair and her eyes –she looked like an older version of Daisy. The woman was also crying and put her arms around a tiny boy standing next to her. He was holding a teddy bear. It was Daisy's younger brother Harry, who had been killed by Voldemort as well.

They just looked at him, smiling and waving. Daisy stared desperately back at them, her hands pressed flat against the glass as though she was hoping to fall right through it and reach them. She had a powerful kind of ache inside her, half joy, half terrible sadness.

How long she stood there, she didn't know. The reflections did not fade and she looked and looked until a distant noise brought her back to her senses. She couldn't stay here; she had to find her way back to bed. She tore her eyes away from her mother's face, whispered, "I'll come back," and hurried from the room.

The next morning she told Ron, Neville and Dean about her discovery and although they were disappointed about Flamel-they were excited to see the mirror. Particularly Dean who had never known his parents, the other three were stunned when he admitted he didn't even know what they looked like.

That night, with all four of them covered by the cloak, they had to walk much more slowly. They tried retracing Daisy's route from the library, wandering around the dark passageways for nearly an hour. They were about ready to give up when Daisy found it. Daisy ran to the mirror, her mother and brother beaming at the sight of her.

Dean begun crying again when had his turn. He had indeed seen his parents, unwillingly he moved to the side. Neville wouldn't say what he saw but also had trouble moving. Finally it was Ron's turn. But Ron didn't see his family. He saw an older version of himself-with a head boy badge, the quidditch captainship and indeed the quidditch cup.

Eyes wide he flipped to face his friends and asked

"Do you think this mirror shows the future?"

"How can it? We saw the dead - let me have another look" answered Dean

"Give me a bit more time."

"You're only holding the Quidditch cup, what's interesting about that? I want to see my parents."

They stayed there for hours all taking turns, nothing could make them leave this room. Nothing at all.

Except -

"So - back again, Daisy? And I see you've brought Dean, Ron and Neville"

Daisy felt as though her insides had turned to ice. She looked behind her. Sitting on one of the desks by the wall was none other than Albus Dumbledore. They must have walked straight past him, so desperate to get to the mirror they hadn't noticed him.

"I didn't see you, sir," stuttered Daisy.

"Strange how nearsighted being invisible can make you," said Dumbledore, and Daisy was relieved to see that he was smiling.

"So," said Dumbledore, "you four, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised."

"I didn't know it was called that, Sir," Daisy was still the only one brave enough to speak.

"But I expect you've realized by now what it does?"

They all shook their heads.

"Let me explain. The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror that is; he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is. Does that help?"

Daisy thought. She was beginning to reach a conclusion when Dean spoke, "It shows us what we want... whatever we want"

"Yes and no," said Dumbledore quietly. "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible. The Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, and I must implore the four of you not to go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. Now, why don't you put that admirable cloak back on and get off to bed?"

The four of them made to leave when Ron asked.

"Sir - Professor Dumbledore? Can I ask you something?"

"Obviously, you've just done so," Dumbledore smiled. "You may ask me one more thing, however."

"What do you see when you look in the mirror?"

"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks."

They all stared.

"One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "I am expecting that all I will receive this Christmas is books. It's always books and never socks."

It was only when she was back in bed that it struck Daisy that Dumbledore might not have been quite truthful. But then, she thought, it had been quite a personal question. Perhaps that was the reason Neville-along with Dumbledore-didn't reveal what they had seen.


End file.
